Subjective experience in insects: Definitions and other difficulties
Animal Sentience August 24, 2016 DOI: 10.51291/2377-7478.1153 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that the small size of the insect brain makes the evolutionary cost of additional neurons for subjective experiences proportionately higher than in mammals, potentially weakening selection for such traits, and that it is premature to dismiss low neuron count as unimportant for consciousness. |
Abstract
Whether insects have the potential for subjective experiences depends on the definition of subjective experience. The definition used by Klein & Barron (2016) is an unusually liberal one and could be used to argue that some modern robots have subjective experiences. From an evolutionary perspective, the additional neurons needed to produce subjective experiences will be proportionately more expensive for insects than for mammals because of the small size of the insect brain. This greater cost could weaken selection for such traits. Minimally, it may be premature to assume that small neuronal number is unimportant in determining the capacity for consciousness.