Babies and animals can't tell us if they have consciousness - but philosophers and scientists are starting to find answers

"The problem is that infants are presumably conscious but, without speech, they can't let us know. Animals like dogs, cats, and octopuses might also be conscious, but they can't tell us that either."

"Researchers have developed the 'natural kinds' approach to consider consciousness in babies. This involves looking at the brains and behaviour of adults when they're conscious to identify indicators of consciousness in infants."

"Scientists use brain scans to detect patterns of brain activity called 'event-related potentials', which can indicate conscious awareness when present but are absent in subliminal awareness."

"If lots of markers all tell us that an infant is conscious, then we can be more confident in our conclusions about infant consciousness. Other potential markers include the ability to pay attention and to imitate adult actions."

Read at The Conversation