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Originally Posted by MattyC
So what would be the definition of conciousness?
I just really struggle with what actually separates us from most other species. The only thing I can think of is the ability to question our own existence (as is shown by this thread). But who's to say other species don't?
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Greater intelligence and the ability to manipulate our environment in far more extensive ways than other animals. We aren't mentally much different than animals, it is merely the scale of our intelligence. There are countless behavioral studies that show animals exhibiting the same characteristics we do. I'm not sure what the need is to struggle with what separates us. Think of it like a continuum, with us on one end, and paramecium and Westboro Baptists on the other. You can try to find logical breaks between species, but that is just more human constructs.