A very like old man monkey

　

　　
　One of the reasons it is unclear whether or not animals may properly be said to be conscious is that the term has no universal definition as applied to humans. Is consciousness equivalent to awareness? To attention? Cognition? Perception? Memory? Imagination? All of these? Much more? To attempt to apply a vaguely-defined term to non-human species merely compounds the confusion and makes it a virtual certainty that any attempt to answer such a question is a waste of time. The topic has become virtually taboo in serious science, with most investigators polarised into opposing camps of "definitely so" and "no way!" Believers in one group vehemently reject the results of the other, and no one seems able to mount a convincing case; but that is not to say that scientists (and others) have stopped making the effort. Few topics today are as divisive as the role non-human animals play in ideas about religion, society, law, morals, research and even in the home. On the one hand are the Cartesian groups, who feel that animals exist merely to serve their masters, namely humans, in whatever way possible - whether furthering the bounds of human knowledge or acting as dinner. On the other hand are the Animal-Liberation-Front-type militants who firebomb property, issue death-threats to researchers, and turn animals loose in habitats into which they do not fit, wreaking havoc all around. Surely a middle ground exists?
Why might the answer to the question of animal consciousness be important? First, philosophy often begins with the question of man’s place in nature. One way humans locate themselves is by comparison to those things they find to be most similar (Allen). Moreover, the answer to the question of animal awareness would extend the bounds of human knowledge and allow us to better test various theories of human consciousness. It would also determine proper laws on the care, rights, and consumption of animals. Finally, it would help to clarify when a human could legally be considered "non-conscious" (as opposed to merely unconscious), thus helping to illuminate what should be the rights of non-conscious humans (such as Terri Schiavo, who, after 15 years in a "permanent vegetative state," had her feeding tube pulled against the wishes of her parents - a move which polarised the US and ended her life). Movies such as Soylent Green (see Note below) to the contrary, it is unlikely that non-conscious humans (unlike presumed non-conscious animals) will ever be considered a source of nutrition.