The origin of consciousness

We can be quite confident that all mammals and birds are conscious creatures. Conscious creatures have subjective experiences of the world that can be broken down into building blocks of colors, sounds, tastes, and feelings. But how many animals are conscious? Do ants have experiences? How about lobsters? When did animals first begin to have experiences in evolutionary history and why did it evolve? Lastly and most importantly, how can we even know answers to these questions? This book will discuss the origins, function, and evolution of consciousness in animals, and where consciousness can be found in the animal world today. To tell this story, I will synthesize recent findings and insights from the fields of comparative neuroscience, ethology, cognitive science, epistemology, and philosophy of mind.

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Book Release Date: Late 2026