Anthropocentrism -- the idea that humans are the center of the universe -- has been banished from cosmology and biology. Much of our knowledge of psychology and neurology is based on animal studies. Yet most people still have the idea that only humans have conscious awareness, and anthropocentrism remains entrenched in ethics. Perhaps the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness will help change that.
Prominent scientists sign declaration that animals have conscious awareness, just like us (io9)
An international group of prominent scientists has signed The Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness in which they are proclaiming their support for the idea that animals are conscious and aware to the degree that humans are — a list of animals that includes all mammals, birds, and even the octopus. But will this make us stop treating these animals in totally inhumane ways?
The full text of the declaration is at http://fcmconference.org/img/CambridgeDeclarationOnConsciousness.pdf.
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