The Self-Awareness in Animals Debate

The self-awareness in animals debate explores whether animals recognize themselves as individuals, separate from their surroundings. This is often tested with the "mirror test," where an animal is marked with a visible spot and observed to see if it recognizes the mark in a mirror as something on itself. Some animals, like chimpanzees and dolphins, pass this test, suggesting self-awareness. Others do not, raising questions about different forms of consciousness. The debate considers whether passing the mirror test fully captures self-awareness or if animals might understand themselves in ways not detectable by this test.