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One could make that claim about every human being on the planet other than our own self. While both are interesting theoretical philosophical arguments, I don't believe either are true. It's pretty convincingly clear that most animals, higher mammals certainly, and birds and reptiles probably, experience the world in almost essentially the same way we do. From an evolutionary and developmental angle, every animal has their brain wired up the same way; it would be extraordinary if they didn't experience the same world we do in the same, or very similar, way to ourselves. Similar body plans, similar senses, similar emotions, similar learning, memory and recall. The physiological differences are superficial. The only distinguishing feature we have is advanced spoken and written language, and it's not clear that other species couldn't take that step eventually. Some already have language of sorts. Some, such as Chaser the collie, who passed away a short time ago, can learn huge amounts of human vocabulary and grammar, if they are motivated.

About 20 years ago, while an undergraduate biologist studying immunology, I worked for a short time in an animal facility studying tropical diseases in mice. This philosophical argument, and others, were discussed during our training. It didn't take long to quickly disabuse myself of any lingering doubts that this argument had any merit whatsoever, and I never did live animal work ever again after that.




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