[treljherthj]

While you are right that we can't exclude the possibility of animals being consciousness, it's well accepted that their conscious level is very low compared to ours.

[goatlover]

Is there some neuroscience backing that? Or is this an argument that consciousness is largely based on having language? Which sounds rather anthropomorphic.

[bencollier49]

It's an argument by induction. Bacteria (and chair legs) we assume must be less conscious than us. So that sets up a sliding scale with us and the higher mammals at the pinnacle.

[ses1984]

What's a conscious level?

[nkrisc]

That sounds like something a theologian moving the goal posts in light of modern findings would say.

[wildmusings]

The problem is that the term "consciousness" has too many meanings, and any debate about it seems to devolve into people talking past each other.