Scientists mortally hurt anthropocentrism

A Canadian neuroscientist, Philip Low (Stanford / MIT) and 25 more researchers can

lead many people and organizations in a very embarrassing situation, as they are about

to sign a manifest that mortally hurt anthropocentrism.

Anthropocentrism is the way of thinking in which the human being is seen as the

center of the universe or creation. In other words, all anthropocentrist believe and

propagate that absolutely everything in nature and universe revolves around the

human being. This privileged status of the human being has never been proven by any

anthropocentrist or scientist. However, anthropocentrism can be found in all religions,

including in the oriental ones.

The main reason for some people and organizations address us in favor of

anthropocentrism is to gain followers. This discourse helps to convince more easily

people that their souls could be saved. Generally, anthropocentric people and

organizations promise to work to save the souls of everyone who repent of their sins,

since those unconditionally accepted their beliefs and values. Usually, these beliefs

and values are assigned to sacred sources, because it commands respect and fear.

Many people is anthropocentrist because it could to freak out just thinking on

possibility it could be abusing, killing and eating beings that are similar to itself. In

other words, anthropocentrism is also a way that human beings have found to justify

some of their acts and assuage their consciences simultaneously.

The scientists manifest will create a huge conflict, because when it formally will

recognize the existence of consciousness in all mammals, birds and other creatures,

like octopus, also is recognizing that anthropocentrism is not feasible. In other words,

the scientists manifest makes infer that human being is not as special as the

anthropocentrists believe possible.

Neuroscientists have deduced that some beings of fauna are also conscious because a

study showed that some of their brain structures are equivalent those responsible for

the production of consciousness in humans. This study involved dogs, dolphins,

chimpanzees, bonobos, dogs and a species of bird called pica-pica. However, scientists

admit that they are unable to measure the similarity between consciousnesses of

different species. However, they think the task of producing artificial consciousness

become less painful, since the animals brains have far fewer neurons to be studied.

Scientists dismissed the possibility that all animated bodies from micro to macro

cosmos are conscious and the level of consciousness may vary depending on the

sophistication of each entity. As the roots of trees without any consciousness of

themselves could know that they need to avoid obstacles? As conscienceless electrons

could know what are the particles that they need to repel or attract? How can cells to

express consciousness? To sum up, scientists will give a big step when they recognize

consciousness in animals, but maybe this is just the tip of the iceberg.

Indeed, the scientists manifest will lead many people to claim new laws on protection

of animals. However, no one needs to become a vegetarian because of it, because

human beings exert only a natural prerogative of who is at the top of the food chain.

We should remember that animals do not have any crisis of conscience for devouring

each other or humans. A crisis of conscience is unique to humans, because only we can

cultivate beliefs and values at this level.

The main consequence of the scientists manifest in favor of animal consciousness can

start a new vision that is more appropriate to the personal and social development. In

this new vision, human beings would be just one of the gears in the mechanism of

nature. They are a very sophisticated gear, but without any systemic privilege. To learn

a more realistic view of the human being that fits this idea, read the article "What are

we?" of this same author.