The Octopus and its Consciousness

[BlueRidge]

Descartes was wrong!

Scientists attest to the subjective experiences of Octopii and others:

Octopuses Gain Consciousness (According to Scientists’ Declaration)

(link includes really nifty Octopus picture)

This privileged state of subjective awareness in fact goes well beyond Homo sapiens, according to the new Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness (pdf), which was signed last month by a group of cognitive neuroscientists, computational neuroscientists, neuroanatomists, neuropharmacologists, neurophysiologists who attended the Francis Crick Memorial Conference on Consciousness in Human and non-Human Animals at Cambridge University in the U.K.

“The weight of evidence indicates that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness,” the scientists wrote. “Non-human animals, including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures, including octopuses, also possess these neurological substrates.”

Scientists are powerful folks, issue a declaration and voila! Octopii are conscious!

Next, Octopii have language?

[Rob]

That is one rocking octopus.

So when these scientists say they "gain" consciousness, are they acknowledging that they might have had it all along or are they saying they now have evolved into consciousness due to new tool using behaviors? And what were they before - sucking blobs? We need a face sucking octopus emoticon.

[Southpaw]

We need a face sucking octopus emoticon.

I've been lobbying for an octopus emoticon for years, alas....

[BlueRidge]

That is one rocking octopus.

So when these scientists say they "gain" consciousness, are they acknowledging that they might have had it all along or are they saying they now have evolved into consciousness due to new tool using behaviors? And what were they before - sucking blobs? We need a face sucking octopus emoticon.

I think the statement that they have gained consciousness was tongue in cheek--it has been conveyed on them by the scientists' declaration (that means if scientists haven't declared you conscious, you are out of luck )

Science is just confirming that they've been conscious all along. And watching us. Particularly Southpaw.

[Southpaw]

Science is just confirming that they've been conscious all along. And watching us. Particularly Southpaw.

[Rob]

I saw a small one watching me once -- snorkeling in the Caribbean, it was camoflaged in a coral reef, but it moved and we noticed it.

And if this Cambridge Declaration on Consciousness was just signed last month, I guess it wasn't just Octopii who gained consciousness.

[agalisgv]

Very technically, it's octopuses--not octopii .

Kinda sad it took scientists this long to acknowledge this, but better late than never I suppose.

[BlueRidge]

Its Descartes fault!

As long as its not octopie, I'm okay with it.

[PrincessLeppard]

Octopodes. If one is being pedantic.

[BlueRidge]

ah so what we are discussing is Octopodian consciousness

[allezfred]

Now I'm hungry.

[overedge]

Octopi scare me. They look scary and they are also way smarter than most people realize. There was one at the aquarium in my city who was able to open screw-on lids from bottles and jars.

[Wiery]

My father-in-law had one that used to get out of the tank at night and bring back the letter opener from my FIL's desk. He used trash his office every night too, until my FIL put the tank in a room that was octopus-proofed.

[shan]

My father-in-law had one that used to get out of the tank at night and bring back the letter opener from my FIL's desk. He used trash his office every night too, until my FIL put the tank in a room that was octopus-proofed.

[agalisgv]

Octopodes. If one is being pedantic.

Octopodes refers to the larger order of which octopuses belong.



[There is actually quite a long etymological explanation for all this, but I think the stories on renegade octopuses are more interesting ].

[skipaway]

I wonder if they have an octopus' garden to tend.

[rfisher]

Tell me, O Octopus, I begs
Is those things arms, or is they legs?
I marvel at thee, Octopus;
If I were thou, I'd call me Us.

[BlueRidge]

I get octopods as the members of the order of octopoda.

Octopode seems to come from French.

Octopii seems to be related to hippopotamii.

Hippopotpie does not sound desirable.

[Rob]

Very technically, it's octopuses--not octopii .

Kinda sad it took scientists this long to acknowledge this, but better late than never I suppose.

To me it is pulpo. With olive oil, garlic, and oregano.

[Simone411]

It's been a while since I had seen this video. I'm glad it was still on YouTube.

This octopus is considered one of the most intelligent in the world. Quite clever, IMO.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t-LTWFnGmeg