Take a position...Are Animals Conscious Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Take a position...Are Animals Conscious - Essay Example Inanimate things and organisms such as plants have limited capability to demonstrate such control of actions since the absence of a brain in their makeup eliminates chance for knowingness. It is a difficult affair to demonstrate the various levels or consciousness as possessed by various animals since the emergence of the debate on whether there is consciousness in animals. However, it is agreeable across both sides of the debate that consciousness exists in human beings. Debate therefore appears to revolve around the issue on whether consciousness exists in animals, and up to which level of organism organization. Debate has since emerged about the possibility of animals possessing consciousness as would elevate them to the same status with human beings (Schà ¶nfeld, 1). This discourse addresses the standoff on paradigms, aware of the fact that earlier versions support consciousness in human beings alone while emergent thoughts support existence of consciousness in animals as well. The first section explores older schools of thought that restrict possession of consciousness in humans while the second section explores the paradigm shift occasioning the inclusion of animals among those creatures possessing consciousness. A personal reflection is contained in the ending of the discourse, giving a position on the debate. Making an account of animal consci ousness debate, it is clear that current thinking about animal consciousness is a mess as Dennett brands it. A comparison of the old and the new paradigms and scientific propositions on the consciousness debate affirms the view that there has been a generally perception that animals are not like human beings regarding several aspects. Among the aspects that seemingly existed without much questioning and doubt is the issue of animal consciousness. As it appears, Schà ¶nfeld holds the opinion that the there was a feeling that it was not scientifically indulge research into