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The secret of animal consciousness
20
Lessons
18
Videos
Intermediate
Skill Level
3.5 hrs
to complete
Flexible
Learn at your pace
About This Course
If the cortex is the organ of consciousness, then it suggests that all vertebrates with cortex have at least some kind of consciousness. Recent epigenetic and evolutionary evidence opens the door for animals without spinal cords as well, namely the octopus
This well established chain of inference strongly suggests that consciousness is not rare, it is not confined to human beings, and its evolutionary history and phyletic breadth across numerous animals is very great indeed. Neurobiologists have been telling us this very clearly, which we will explore together in rich detail.
In these seminars and media-rich lessons, you will examine scientific evidence for animal consciousness, and the exciting possibility of consciousness outside of humans and mammals. Since we know more about humans than any other animal species, we start with human beings as a benchmark.
Humans can give us accurate reports about their conscious experiences, and other animals can do similar tasks. All these animal species also show similar sleep-waking cycles. This view reflects the thinking of many scientiThe most ancient kinds of consciousness are plausibly sensory, beginning with the olfactory and taste senses and emerging in mammals with vision, hearing, and body touch. These conscious senses constantly interact with corresponding motor systems so that we can talk about sensory-motor consciousness, which leads to voluntary control of waking actions.sts.
This course will help you to:
- understand the evidence supporting consciousness in non-human animals and other species, drawn from the psychobiological sciences.
- learn fundamental brain regions associated with conscious and unconscious events in the brain, based on the latest evidence.
- gain an understanding of comparative biology of the brain and behavior.
- learn about our current scientific understanding of animal brains that seem to make consciousness possible.
- think about contemporary ideas about the cortex and its role in waking and sleep.
- examine the exciting possibility of consciousness outside of humans and mammals.
Who is the course for?
This course is for you if you are interested in, or teach, or study: Medicine, Cognitive or Clinical Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience, Evolutionary Science, Contemplative Science, Animal & Veterinary Science, Neuroscience and Education, Health Education, or Philosophy.
Learning Path
Scientists are taking a new look at animal consciousness. Here we will see why the evidence now supports animal consciousness.
We set forth a framework for such an investigation that incorporates integration of data from neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, and behavioral studies, uses evidence from humans as a benchmark, and recognizes the critical role of explicit report of conscious events in consciousness studies.
In Part 1, we examine this framework with reference to two sets of animal species: one relatively near to mammals, and one quite far from mammals, like the octopus.
Video 3 Min + 28 Min assigned reading to complete
Conscious brains have only been observed in the earth’s biosphere. This is important. It means that we have no direct evidence of consciousness in outer space. The most ancient kinds of consciousness are plausibly sensory, beginning with the olfactory and taste senses and emerging in mammals with vision, hearing, and body touch.
Humans are the most obviously conscious species because we can share conscious information with each other. Therefore, humans are our “model species” by which we can plausibly judge other species. In mammals, the cortex and thalamus are the two crucial brain structures that appear to support conscious experiences.
In Part 2, we examine brain anatomy and physiology that points to a number of features shared by all mammals.
5 Videos: 21 Mins + 25 Min reads + 4 Quizzes
What are fundamental markers for an animal to be considered conscious?
Our conception of consciousness in other animals have been profoundly shaped by the classical work of biologists like Gerald Edelman, Walter Freeman, Francis Crick, E.R. John, Karl Pribram, and Ann Butler.
The evident role of the cortex poses rather dramatic questions, because the cortex has a very ancient evolutionary ancestry.
Is some kind of consciousness very ancient?
Therefore, in Part 3, we examine the strongest lines of evidence for animal consciousness.
2 Videos: 11 Min + 15 Min reads to complete + 2 Quizzes
8 Videos: 50 Mins + 64 Min reads to complete + 8 Quizzes
Trusted by academics
“Bernard Baars is the William James of consciousness studies in the 21st century.
Taking into account recent developments of computer and cognitive sciences, neuroscience, psychology, and linguistics ⎯ the empirical basis of Baars' work is the best one can get.”
“On Consciousness: Science and Subjectivity highlights Baars’ strongly scientific approach combined with his brilliant creativity as he forges new ways of thinking about ancient questions ⎯ a stunning achievement!.”
“Bernie Baars is the leading thinker behind the Global Workspace theory of consciousness that has been recently championed by top neuroscientists, such as Stanislas Dehaene.”
“Bernard Baars is both one of the pioneers of the cognitive study of consciousness and currently one of its most important contributors.”
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Expertise & Foundation for this Course
Bernard Baars, PhD
Psychobiologist, FAU
David Edelman, PhD
Neuroscientist, Dartmouth
"On Consciousness"
eBook with Registration