Animal Willpower

Many theorize that only humans are conscious (and that animals are not) and thus are able to rise beyond their primal urges. I argue that it is not only humans that are conscious, but that animals are in fact capable of overcoming their primal urges.

The examples abound. We have dogs starving by their owners' bodies without eating them, dogs have saved lives at risk to their own, many mammals are known to show grief at the death of a fellow and conduct themselves in ways that are contrary to what one would expect of pure primal survival instinct.

What conclusions, therefore, can be made about willpower? Clearly, it is not exclusive to humans. Perhaps the time has come to learn to respect animals, instead of readily abusing them simply because they do not seem to fit the common human-centric assumptions regarding sentience.