I was one of the authors who gave a “low” (~80%) probability to chicken and cow consciousness. I agree the evidence here appears compelling, but I personally put some probability weight on the idea that this overall “inference to the best explanation” is fundamentally wrongheaded somehow and that there may be a good explanation for seemingly very complex behavior not arising out of a state of consciousness that we just don’t know of yet. Seemingly complex behavior can arise from simple systems For example, OpenAI’s (presumably) non-conscious computer programs exhibiting emergent tool use). Muehlhauser (2017) explains this line of argument in depth, especially Section 3.2.3, Section 3.4, and Section 4.3.
Very late follow-up, but what specific features do chimpanzees have that account for most of the gap between your credence in their consciousness and that of chickens and cows?
Chimps have much more neuroanatomical similarity with humans, more apparent cognitive sophistication (such as learning ability, language ability), and more complex social behavior, relative to chickens and cows.
I was one of the authors who gave a “low” (~80%) probability to chicken and cow consciousness. I agree the evidence here appears compelling, but I personally put some probability weight on the idea that this overall “inference to the best explanation” is fundamentally wrongheaded somehow and that there may be a good explanation for seemingly very complex behavior not arising out of a state of consciousness that we just don’t know of yet. Seemingly complex behavior can arise from simple systems For example, OpenAI’s (presumably) non-conscious computer programs exhibiting emergent tool use). Muehlhauser (2017) explains this line of argument in depth, especially Section 3.2.3, Section 3.4, and Section 4.3.
Very late follow-up, but what specific features do chimpanzees have that account for most of the gap between your credence in their consciousness and that of chickens and cows?
Chimps have much more neuroanatomical similarity with humans, more apparent cognitive sophistication (such as learning ability, language ability), and more complex social behavior, relative to chickens and cows.