Reply To: When Life Became Sentient

Davis, i think you assume way too much in the way you separate us from other animals.  You say only we have internalized pain, self awareness, express it to others and ponder our existence.  I would guess at a minimum whales, elephants and other primates are included in those criteria.  I bet ethologists would concur at a rate over fifty percent with my assertion.  Also consider that each year we discover more depth in other animals and not just mammals…some birds are incredible and so are cephalopods. We are fighting the initial and still strong religious anthropomorphism that posits a special creation for us.  But other animals just keep blowing us away.