On Sentience

Do you think that animals are conscious of more than that which is programmed into them.

Do they think at all or are they just organic machines which eat, sleep and procreate.

If they think, do they think of things other than eating etc. For example do they remember events from a week ago and mull them over. Do they day dream, for example of a walk in the park with the sun on their back.

Do they have novel thoughts and ideas, based on their life experience.

Or do they simply respond to their immediate surroundings. Thinking neither of the future or the past. Reacting in a Pavlovian way by conditioned responses.

Are all animals the same or do some have a degree of sentience, with others being biological robots.

they gotta think, they must dream, why else would dogs twitch and bark while asleep?

I believe that all animals are sentient (having the power of perception by the senses). Taking an archaic definition (conscious mind) to be more in keeping with my perception of your original post, I would suggest that yes, some animals are sentient.

I think that the animals that developed some form of language have the basis for conscious thought. I believe language is a prerequiste for thought. Whether the thought is communicated or not is must be expressed in some fashion. If there is no expressions to represent the components of the thought, can the thought exist? I don't think so.

I believe a number of species to have evolved to the state that we deem sentient. Some whales, elephants, pigs, apes are examples that come to mind.

cheers omc

I saw a documentary with my gorilla tonight.

He actually used a mirror to remove a piece of paper placed on his head.

After carefull study he ate it and then carefully applied some lipgloss!!

And then started eating the lipgloss.

Next he carefully brushed the hair of the caretaker!!

After that......



He ate the tv........... :o



Yogi


Edit: Inspirational Sponsored By JPolWittyInterventions

Quote:

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Originally posted by SensualGardening@5 February 2004 - 01:18
I saw a documentary with a gorilla tonight.

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Did you both enjoy it.

I hope you were quiet if the gorilla was trying to concentrate.

Quote:

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Originally posted by J&#39;Pol+5 February 2004 - 00:20--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (J&#39;Pol @ 5 February 2004 - 00:20)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-SensualGardening@5 February 2004 - 01:18
I saw a documentary with a gorilla tonight.

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Did you both enjoy it.

I hope you were quiet if the gorilla was trying to concentrate. [/b][/quote]
:lol: :lol: :lol:

stop being witty, put your dinner on your head and get in that sig thread