21/10/2016 AUniversalDeclarationonAnimalSentience:NoPretending|PsychologyToday

MarcBekoffPh.D.
AnimalEmotions

AHome
Universal Declaration
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Sentience: No Pretending
Wehavehadampledataforalongtimetodeclareanimals Like 3.5K

aresentientbeings.
PostedJun20,2013

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Anyonewhosaysthatlifematterslesstoanimalsthanitdoestoushasnotheldinhishandsan
animalfightingforitslife.Thewholeofthebeingoftheanimalisthrownintothatfight,without
reserve.(ElisabethCostello,inJ.M.CoetzeesTheLivesofAnimals)

ThispastweekendduringaseriesoflecturesIpresentedinGermanyanumberofpeopleasked
questionsofthesort,"Isn'titabouttimeweacceptthatanimalsaresentientandthatweknowwhat
theywantandneed,andstopbickeringaboutwhethertheyareconscious,feelpain,andexperience
manydifferentemotions?"Ofcourse,thisisn'tthefirsttimeI'veheardthesequeries,andmyansweris
alwaysaresounding"Yes,wedohaveampledetailedscientificfactstodeclarethatnonhuman
animalsaresentientbeingsandtherearefewerandfewerskeptics."Peopleareincrediblyfrustrated
thattherearestillskepticswhodenywhatweknow,andtheyalsowanttoknowwhatwearegoingto
dowiththeknowledgewehavetohelpotheranimalsliveinahumandominatedworld.

AsIwasflyinghomeIthoughtofapreviousessayIwrotecalled"ScientistsFinallyConclude
NonhumanAnimalsAreConsciousBeings(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal
emotions/201208/scientistsfinallyconcludenonhumananimalsareconsciousbeings)"inwhichI
discussedtheTheCambridgeDeclarationonConsciousnessthatwaspubliclyproclaimedonJuly7,
2012attheUniversity.Thegroupofscientistswrote,"Convergentevidenceindicatesthatnonhuman
animalshavetheneuroanatomical,neurochemical,andneurophysiologicalsubstratesofconscious
statesalongwiththecapacitytoexhibitintentionalbehaviors.Consequently,theweightofevidence
indicatesthathumansarenotuniqueinpossessingtheneurologicalsubstratesthatgenerate
consciousness.Nonhumananimals,includingallmammalsandbirds,andmanyothercreatures,
includingoctopuses,alsopossesstheseneurologicalsubstrates."Theycouldalsohaveincludedfish,
forwhomtheevidencesupportingsentienceandconsciousnessisalsocompelling
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201004/fishdofeelpainyestheydo
sciencetellsus)(seealso(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201101/dofish

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201306/universaldeclarationanimalsentiencenopretending 1/7
21/10/2016 AUniversalDeclarationonAnimalSentience:NoPretending|PsychologyToday

feelpainreduxinterviewtheauthorwhoshowscoursetheydo)).And,I'msureastimegoesonwe
willaddmanyotheranimalstotheconsciousnessclub.

AUniversalDeclarationonAnimalSentience:Animalsentienceisawellestablishedfact

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BasedontheoverwhelminganduniversalacceptanceoftheCambridgeDeclarationon Tests
ConsciousnessIofferherewhatIcallaUniversalDeclarationonAnimalSentience.Forthepurposeof
thisessayIamdefining"sentience"as"theabilitytofeel,perceive,orbeconscious,ortoexperience
subjectivity(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sentience)"(forwiderangingdiscussionpleaseclickhere
(https://www.google.com/webhp?hl=en&tab=ww#hl=en&gs_rn=17&gs_ri=psyab&tok=P
bCProAp3HTeHkfOCYwQA&suggest=p&cp=8&gs_id=t&xhr=t&q=sentience&es_nrs=true&pf=p&output
=search&sclient=psy
ab&oq=sentienc&gs_l=&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48175248,d.aWc&fp=8c3b938b265db
1fc&biw=1400&bih=887).)

Idon'tofferanyspecificlocationforthisdeclarationbecausewithveryfewexceptions,people
worldwide,includingresearchersandnonresearchersalike,acceptthatotheranimalsaresentient
beings.However,anotableexceptionisOxfordUniversity'sMarianDawkinswhocontinuedasofafew
monthsagotoclaimwestilldon'tknowifotheranimalsareconscious
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201205/animalconsciousnessandscience
matter)usingthesamedataasthosewhowroteTheCambridgeDeclarationonConsciousness.Icall
thisDawkins'sDangerousIdea(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal
emotions/201205/animalconsciousnessandsciencematter).

It'salsoimportanttonotethattheUniversalDeclarationonAnimalWelfare(http://www.wspa
international.org/wspaswork/udaw/)isbasedontheindisputablefactthatanimalsaresentientandthat
theycansufferandfeelpain,asistheTreatyofLisbon
(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_of_Lisbon)andtherapidlygrowingfieldofcompassionate
conservation(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201305/compassionate
conservationgreenconversation).

"Evidenceofanimalsentienceiseverywhere":It'samatterofwhysentienceevolved,notifit
evolved

Astrongandrapidlygrowingdatabaseonanimalsentiencesupportstheacceptanceofthefactthat
otheranimalsaresentientbeings.Weknowthatindividualsofawidevarietyofspeciesexperience
emotionsrangingfromjoyandhappinesstodeepsadness,grief,andPTSD,alongwithempathy,
jealousyandresentment(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions).Thereisnoreason
toembellishthembecausescienceisshowinghowfascinatingtheyare(forexample,mice,rats,and
chickensdisplayempathy(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201112/empathic
ratsandravishingravens))andcountlessother"surprises"arerapidlyemerging.
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21/10/2016 AUniversalDeclarationonAnimalSentience:NoPretending|PsychologyToday
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Experience
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Alargeamountofdataareavailableonaninteractivewebsitecalledthe"SentienceMosaic
(http://www.animalmosaic.org/sentience/)"launchedbyTheWorldSocietyfortheProtectionof
Animals(http://www.wspainternational.org/)(WSPAformoredetailspleaseseealso
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201210/thesentiencemosaicwonderful
newresource))dedicatedtoanimalsentience.Asystematicreviewofthescientificliteratureon
sentienceinanessaywrittenbyHelenProctorandhercolleaguesatWSPAconcluded,"Evidenceof
animalsentienceiseverywhere."Usingalistof174keywordstheyreviewedmorethan2500articles
onanimalsentience.And,whatisveryinterestingisthattheyalsodiscovered"agreatertendencyfor
studiestoassumetheexistenceofnegativestatesandemotionsinanimals,suchaspainand
suffering,thanpositiveoneslikejoyandpleasure."Thisisconsistentwiththehistoricaltrendofpeople
whoreadilydeniedemotionssuchasjoy,pleasure,andhappiness
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/happiness)toanimalsacceptingthatanimalscouldbemad
orangry(seealsoHelenProctor's"AnimalSentience:WhereAreWeandWhereAreWeHeading?
(http://www.mdpi.com/20762615/2/4/628)".Thereisalsoanupwardtrendinthenumberofarticles
publishedonanimalsentience(usingsentiencerelatedkeywords)from19902011.

Solidevolutionarytheory,namely,Charles
Darwin'sideasaboutevolutionarycontinuity
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animal
emotions/201107/animalmindsandthefoible
humanexceptionalism)inwhichherecognized
thatthedifferencesamongspeciesin
anatomical,physiological,andpsychological
traitsaredifferencesindegreeratherthankind,
Numberofarticlespublishedbetween19902011
alsosupportsthewiderangingacceptanceof
Source:
animalsentience.Thereareshadesofgray,not
blackandwhitedifferences,soifwehave
something"they"(otheranimals)haveittoo.Thisiscalledevolutionarycontinuityandshowsthatitis
badbiologytorobanimalsofthetraitstheyclearlypossess.Forexample,wesharewithother

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201306/universaldeclarationanimalsentiencenopretending 3/7
21/10/2016 AUniversalDeclarationonAnimalSentience:NoPretending|PsychologyToday

mammalsandvertebratesthesameareasofthebrain
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/neuroscience)thatareimportantforconsciousnessand
processingemotions.

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Wesurelyarenotexceptionaloraloneinthearenaofsentienceandindeed,membershipinthe
sentienceclubisrapidlygrowing.Therearesoundbiologicalreasonsforrecognizinganimalsas
sentientbeings.Weneedtoabandontheanthropocentricviewthatonlybigbrainedanimalssuchas
ourselves,nonhumangreatapes,elephants,andcetaceans(dolphinsandwhales)havesufficient
mentalcapacitiesforcomplexformsofsentienceandconsciousness.So,theinterestingand
challengingquestioniswhyhassentienceevolvedindiversespecies,notifithasevolved.

It'stimetostoppretendingthatwedon'tknowifotheranimalsaresentient:Wedoindeed
knowwhatotheranimalswantandneed

Thosewhodefineusbyourabilitytointrospectgiveadistortedviewofwhatisimportanttoand
abouthumanbeingsandignorethefactthatmanycreaturesarelikeusinmoresignificantwaysinthat
weallsharethevulnerability,thepains,thefears,andthejoysthatarethelifeofsocialanimals.
(LynneSharpe,CreaturesLikeUs)

Weneedtostoppretendingwedon'tknowifotheranimalsaresentient.Wealsoneedtoacceptthat
weknowwhattheywantandneed.Theirmindsaren'tasprivateassomeclaimthemtobe.Surely,we
mightmissoutonsomeofthenittygrittydetailsbutitissafetosaythatotheranimalswanttolivein
peaceandsafetyandabsentfear(https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/fear),pain,andsuffering,
justaswedo.Despitetheerroneousclaimthatotheranimalsarenotknowntoworry,thereisample
evidencethattheydoindeedworryabouttheirwellbeing(pleasesee"DoAnimalsWorryandLose
SleepWhenThey'reTroubled?(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201304/do
animalsworryandlosesleepwhentheyretroubled)")andthatexcessiveworryingandalackofrest
andsleep(https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/sleep)canbecostly.

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201306/universaldeclarationanimalsentiencenopretending 4/7
21/10/2016 AUniversalDeclarationonAnimalSentience:NoPretending|PsychologyToday

Whilesomestillclaimthatwedonotknowthatotheranimalsaresentientbeings,countlessanimals
continuetosufferinthemostegregiouswaysastheyareusedandabusedforresearch,education
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/education),food,clothing,andentertainment,forexample.
Andindeed,animalsentienceisassumedinmanycomparativestudiesandrecentlegislation
protectingchimpanzeesfrominvasiveresearchisbasedonwhatisknownabouttheseamazing
Home FindaTherapist Topics GetHelp Magazine Tests
sentientbeings.Wereallydon'tneedanymoreinvasiveresearchtomoveonandtostronglydeclare
thatotheranimalsaresentient.Forexample,FarmSanctuaryhasputoutacallforproposalsfor
observationalresearchonthecognitiveandemotionallivesoffarmanimals
(http://www.farmsanctuary.org/wpcontent/uploads/2013/05/Callforpapers_hires.pdf).Some
researchersareindeedlookingintousingbrainimagingtoaccessthemindsofotheranimals(seefor
exampleEmoryUniversity'sGregoryBerns'sworkwithdogs(http://www.amazon.com/HowDogs
LoveUsNeuroscientist/dp/0544114515/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1371729101&sr=8
3&keywords=gregory+berns)Dr.Bernstoldmethathenowhas11dogswhoare"mricertified").

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ForanessayIwroteforNewScientistmagazinecalled"Animalsareconsciousandshouldbetreated
assuch(http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg21528836.200animalsareconsciousandshouldbe
treatedassuch.html#.UcLtmhZNYRk)"aboutTheCambridgeDeclarationonConsciousnessthereisa
wonderfulcartoonofanimalssittingaroundatablediscussingtheseissues(reprintedherewith
permissionoftheartist,AndrezjKrauze(https://www.google.com/webhp?
hl=en&tab=ww#hl=en&output=search&sclient=psy
ab&q=Andrezj+Krauze&oq=Andrezj+Krauze&gs_l=hp.3..0i13l4.4044.4044.0.4337.1.1.0.0.0.0.119.119.
0j1.1.0...0.0...1c.2.17.psy
ab.XjgYAeBSCI0&pbx=1&bav=on.2,or.r_cp.r_qf.&bvm=bv.48293060,d.aWc&fp=8e2961c49ea663a1&b
iw=1308&bih=684)).Theprintcopywascalled"Welcometoourworld"andit'sabouttimewedidso
withopenhearts.

Thetimeisnowtoshelveoutdatedand
unsupportedideasaboutanimalsentienceand
tofactorsentienceintoalloftheinnumerable

https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201306/universaldeclarationanimalsentiencenopretending 5/7
21/10/2016 AUniversalDeclarationonAnimalSentience:NoPretending|PsychologyToday

waysinwhichweencounterotheranimals.
WhenTheCambridgeDeclarationwasmade
publictherewasalotofpomp,champagne,and
mediacoverage.Thereisnoneedtohavethis
fanfareforAUniversalDeclarationonAnimal
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Sentience.Itcanbeadeep,personal,and
inspirationaljourneythatcomesfromourheart
andalsohasastrongandrapidlygrowing
evidencebasedfoundation.

Theanimalswillbegrateful
(https://www.psychologytoday.com/basics/gratitu
de)andwarmlythankusforpayingattentionto
thescienceofanimalsentience.And,whenwe
listentoourheartswearerecognizinghow
Source: muchweknowaboutwhatotheranimalsare
feelingandthatweoweittothemtoprotect
themhoweverwecan.Please,let'sdoitnow.Itiseasytodoandwecandonoless.

Theteaserimagecanbeseenhere(http://www.laphamsquarterly.org/audiovideo/lqpodcast39
animalminds.php)(seealso(https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/animalemotions/201306/animal
mindslatestresearchthescientistsmouths)).

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21/10/2016 AUniversalDeclarationonAnimalSentience:NoPretending|PsychologyToday

MarcBekoff,Ph.D.,isprofessoremeritusofecologyandevolutionarybiologyatthe
=https%3A//www.psych emotions/201306/univer
UniversityofColorado,Boulder.
ologytoday.com/blog/ani saldeclarationanimal
mal (/experts/marcbekoffphd)
sentienceno
TWITTER (https://twitter.com/marcbekoff)
emotions/201306/univer pretending&related=Psy
saldeclarationanimal chToday)
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