Journal Entry 12: Animal vs. Human

Animals are pretty similar to humans in many respects, such as what they are made out of, their organ systems, and needs. Actually, a human is an animal, so they have a lot in common. Animals seem capable of feeling many of the same emotions that a human does, such as sadness, loyalty, guilt, and so on. Some examples of this would be when a dog looks sad when you leave, waits for you at the door every day when you get home, or looks guilty when it has wet your carpet. However, I do not think animals have consciousness, and they are just reacting to their environment when they appear to be conscious. Much of animals' behaviors are simple, and can be predicted, which suggests that they are acting on instinct rather than consciousness, or free will. Also, animals lack the complex brain structures and reasoning ability that humans do. Although it is impossible to tell for sure whether animals are conscious, unless we find a way to communicate with them, I think it is most likely that they are not.