Until very recently, the term 'consciousness' was exclusively reserved to describe only the human experience of cognition and thinking. This was, of course, a result of the hegemonic scientific dialectic in our society. By its monopoly over definitions, science was determined to keep the animal kingdom away from being conscious at all. Until apparently sometime in 2012 this happened.
However, the curious thing about it was that this admittance of animal 'consciousness', occurred much more like a UN resolution, than as a scientific breakthrough. Instead of the time tested age old scientific methodologies of "truth-finding", the definitional laxity occurred in the form of the Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness, which was signed into existence by a group of prominent international scientists. While the comedy of the situation was ticklish to me on its own, it also drove home a very obvious point as well - that essentially, science has very little to say about "consciousness" at all.
Yet, despite the definitional autocracy of science through the ages, it is clear to me where this bias arose within the scientific community. It comes from the very true observation that, what we call human consciousness is vastly different from the consciousness that animals possess. In most ways, human cognitive abilities are leaps and bounds beyond the cognitive abilities of even our nearest species relative, the primates. Because, cognition is specifically a mental process. And while primate mental processes can accommodate for forms of pack hunting, certain levels of emotional responses, and even some basic forms of organized warfare, it is a very long leap from there - to language, poetry, art, morality, spirituality and globe-girdling, electronically connected, information transfer-oriented, super societies, capable of releasing the energies that light the stars.
There are those who shudder at the very insinuation that human beings are "superior" (a poor descriptor) to the rest of the animal and natural kingdom. Understandably, I am sympathetic to their aversion. Because in some way, it was our recognition of our "superiority" that apparently gave us all permission for mania, to consciously participate in the destruction and pillage of the planet, of our Mother Gaia. The consequences of it are all around us. And despite whatever "leaping strides" are being made by suited up, uptight bureaucrats, in expensive climate summits around the world, their impact is a meagre pittance compared to the gravity of the ecological collapse that seems to be looming in our horizon. But, I digress.....
Coming back to our place on this earth, even though I might understand the "We are no better than animals" point of view, I cannot agree with it. Because, it admits defeat to our present circumstance, and is a dangerous waste of the gift of thought, cognition and imagination that we have been gifted. To my mind, human beings were made to emerge on the planet to be the guardians of its ecosystems and the preserver of its organic life (be it on the planet, or beyond it). The very fact that our existence is a major quantum leap from primate life, inexplicable by any scientific or rational model, and poorly handled by any theological model, indicates that we were brought forth by forces beyond our recognition, with specific intent - to be the custodians of the biota. The fact that we have made a mess of this divinely bestowed responsibility, is scant excuse to absolve us of this responsibility in totality, by simply saying, "We're no different than the monkey." That is an argument I categorically reject.
Sure, there might be partial truth to the statement. The observation that modern day football hooligans can be as dumb as a roving band of excited baboons. That the brutality of the likes of ISIS, is comparable to the animalistic impulse of mindless, aggressive, apes. And that the male-dominant, social hierarchical structures under which we have been labouring for millennia, harkens directly back to the primate tendency to form male-dominated social hierarchies as well. But, the difference is, that we recognize these dichotomies. We try to create structures to control it. We lament about our inability to overcome it. And we seek forever to transcend it. In this way, we stand as the connecting bridge between two extremes of being. That is how the human experience within history is essentially a "mad dash from monkeydom to godhood". Will we make it? That will depend on our consciousness, and what we choose to do with it during the crucial moments along the way.
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