What is "self-awareness"?

[Patches]

In the introduction to the book "Prey", Michael Crichton states:

The only animals for which self-awareness has been convincingly demonstrated are human beings, chimpanzees, and orangutans. Contrary to widespread popular belief, claims for other animals such as dolphins and monkeys have not been unambiguously proven.

I thought it was proven a few years ago that dolphins were self-aware because they recognized and distinguished their image in a mirror.

So what exactly does it mean to be self aware?

PS- if anyone has read the book "Prey", please do not post about it; I am only about 1/3 done.

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[TheMojoPin]

It thought it was the determination in some way, shape or form that you ARE alive. Maybe by realizing you have to feed yourself to survive or acknowledgement of some other basic survival need is an automatic recognizing of one's "self awareness"?

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[Orallo]

"SelfAwareness" is a buzzword that all self-help (there is anotherone for ya!!) gurus use on their psycho-bable to sell more books.

It means nothing, its made up.

The only people that gets helped by "self-help" books is the author.

Peace & Hugs,

P.S. I know that prey is NOT a self-help book, I'm just saying where the word comes from.


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[IrishAlkey]

It's knowing when your fly is open.

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[Bama]

Maybe it has something to do with knowing you are going to die someday.

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[DJEvelEd]

To have coherent thought and to be able to convey that thought to others coherent thinkers via speech, writing, ect...
Also to know your place in this world, the space/time continuim, and to understand destiny.
This part may sound stupid but: to realize "oneness" with the universe. To realize God is "one", to be "one" with God, to be God eventually...


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[Dewey]

It is basically shorthand for "awareness of self".

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[HordeKing1]

It entails being aware that you are separate from your environment and capable of conscious independant non-instinctual thought. I'd also include in the defintion the ability to learn not only from direct, current sensory information but also to make inferences about feelings and cause and effect based on past experiences.

An infant for example is not self-aware. He does not yet understand that he and his mom are separate. A short time later, the baby develops the basic concept of "out of sight out of mind" (i.e. if I can't see you - you don't exist). Later, the baby learns object constancy.

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