Are Animals Conscious or Aware of Their Actions?

Discussion Post
Post your thoughts about whether or not animals are conscious or aware of their actions. First, describe what you mean by aware or conscious. These terms have many meanings, so it would be good to be clear about how you are using the term. Then, based on the Learning Resources, describe higher cognitive functions in animals in terms of language, learning and memory, tool use, planning, or other similar functions. What do these functions in animals tell us about higher cognitive functions in humans? Justify your answer by referencing the scientific literature and this week’s Learning Resources. Then, weigh in on the value and ethics of conducting animal research on complex mental abilities. Again, explain and justify your responses with references to the scientific literature and this week’s Learning Resources. While you are welcome to include a short anecdote about a pet to support your answer, please use scientific sources to justify your positions.
Support your postings and responses with specific references to the Learning Resources and any additional sources you identify using both in-text citations and complete references in APA format.
Learning Resources:
Garrett, B., & Hough, G. (2022). Brain and behavior: An introduction to behavioral neuroscience (6th ed.). Sage Publications, Inc.
Chapter 4, “The Methods and Ethics of Research”
Research Ethics section (pp. 115-121)
Chapter 9, “Hearing and Language”
Language in Nonhumans (pp. 302-305)
Chapter 12, “Learning and Memory”
Chapter 13, “Intelligence and Cognitive Functioning”
Animals think, therefore.Links to an external site. (2015). Economist, 417(8969), 69–74.
Joffe, A. R., Bara, M., Anton, N., & Nobis, N. (2016). The ethics of animal research: a survey of the public and scientists in North AmericaLinks to an external site.. BMC Medical Ethics, 17, 17.
Document: “How to Search PubMed” (Word document)Download “How to Search PubMed” (Word document)
Required Media
Pepperberg, I. (2009, October 27). Alex & meLinks to an external site. [Audio podcast]. 
Click here for transcript. Pepperberg, I. (2009, October 27). Alex & me Download Alex & me[Audio podcast]
Vedantam, S. (Host). (2019, October 21). What monkeys can teach us about being humanLinks to an external site. [Audio podcast]. 
Optional Resources
Andics, A., Gábor, A., Gácsi, M., Faragó, T., Szabó, D., & Miklósi, Á. (2016). Neural mechanisms for lexical processing in dogsLinks to an external site.. Science, 353(6303), 1030–1032.
Collins, F. S. (2015). NIH will no longer support biomedical research on chimpanzeesLinks to an external site.. 
American Psychological Association, Ethics Office. (2016).Committee on Animal Research and Ethics (CARE): 2015 annual report. Washington, DC: Author.
Gorman, J. (2016, August 30). For dogs, it’s what you say and also how you say it. The New York Times. 
Gross, D., & Tolba, R. (2015). Ethics in animal-based research. European Surgical Research, 55(1–2), 43–57. 
Henderson, K. (2015). Living in a cyber petri dish: Human subject research regulations and why Facebook should follow them. University of Toledo Law Review, 47(1), 185–210.
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare (OLAW). (n.d.). OLAW fast factsLinks to an external site.. 
Office of Laboratory Animal Welfare. (n.d.). Public health service policy on humane care and use of laboratory animalsLinks to an external site.. 
Reardon, S. (2015, November 18). NIH to retire all research chimpanzeesLinks to an external site.. Nature. 
Schiller, D., Monfils, M. H., Raio, C. M., Johnson, D. C., LeDoux, J. E., & Phelps, E. A. (2010). Preventing the return of fear in humans using reconsolidation update mechanisms. Nature, 463(7277), 49–53. 
Sheehan, M., Marti, V., & Roberts, T. (2014). Ethical review of research on human subjects at Unilever: Reflections on governance. Bioethics, 28(6), 284–292. 
Smithsonian.com (2017). Getting to the Bottom of How Animals ThinkLinks to an external site.. 
Vermij, P. (2003). Europe’s last research chimps to retireLinks to an external site.. Nature Medicine, 9(8), 981.
Optional Media
Many appropriate media pieces to further your understanding are available through the textbook publisher website:
SAGE edge. Brain & behavior: An introduction to biological psychology by Bob GarrettLinks to an external site.. 
Kandel, E. R. (2000). Noble Lecture: The molecular biology of memory storage: A dialogue between genes and synapsesLinks to an external site. [Video file].