Introduction

Whether insects are conscious is (i) interesting in itself, of course scientifically, but also because understanding and empathy for other creatures is good (ii) probably not to be answered ‘yes’ or ‘no’ but in terms of a multi-dimensional continuum (iii) interesting for its implications for the nature of consciousness.

The approach is to consider arguments against insect consciousness and reasons to doubt those arguments. This is followed by arguments for and a conclusion—they are conscious but their consciousness quite different from ours in form and quality even though stemming from the same material root.

Against insect consciousness

Insects are to simple to be conscious.

We don’t co-emote or otherwise empathize with their feeling as we do with animals more like us.

While they do have nocioceptors (ability to detect noxious stimuli), they do not have the capacity for pain or suffering.

Counter

But note that these are reasons that insects may lack consciousness. They do not certainly imply that insects are not conscious.

Some scientists think from neurological study and chronic pain-like behavior, that insects do feel pain. Similarly, some scientists reason from neurological study that insects do have some kind of emotion which is the basis of suffering.

Conclusion

The common arguments against insect consciousness above are not “knock down” arguments.

For insect consciousness

Insects exhibit complex behavior.

Counter

So do simple automata

Counter-counter – What is complexity?

The behavior of simple automata seems complex. But is it? A definition and measure of complexity is needed. Let distinguish complexity of behavior from complexity of form. Simple toys can exhibit seeming complex behavior. But if the behavior is generated by a simple form, then the behavior, though it seems complex, is simple in terms of what it takes to generate it. A mathematical example is the intricate seeming Mandelbrot set that is generated by a simple algorithm.

By a generative measure, seeming complex behavior may be essentially simple.

Note that while we have not given a definition of complexity—there may be more than one kind, we have given a measure of it.

Are insects complex?

Insects (i) have complex form and the form involved from stimulus to response is distributed rather than a simple one point mechanism (ii) are capable of detecting multiple kinds of stimuli and the behaviors are not just seemingly complex but multi-dimensional and adaptive, e.g. ‘yes’ to food, ‘run’ for water, and ‘oh yeah baby’ for reproduction (iii) are capable of detecting simple and compound stimuli—and stimuli that is not just on or off but that has form (iv) modeling their physical, social, and internal environment and this is made possible by a complex neurological system (even if simple compared to the neurology of mammals).

Conclusion

The arguments against insect consciousness were earlier shown to be just possible arguments.

While the arguments for insect consciousness above are not knock down, they are good arguments.

Summary

Let us agree that some animals beside humans are conscious—based on similarity of behavior and neurology to human beings.

Even given this premise we may doubt insect consciousness.

However, by similarity of neurology and (e.g.) chronic pain behavior (per some scientists), the evidence preponderates to the conclusion that insects have consciousness even if relative simplicity of form implies relative simplicity of their consciousness and difference in adaptive niches implies difference in form and kind of consciousness.

A probable conclusion is that there isn’t a cutoff between consciousness and non-consciousness but that there is a continuum with insects at some distance from either end of the continuum but simple automata at level zero or very close.

Final reflection

Where is the boundary between consciousness and non-consciousness?

It is not clear that there is one. Perhaps, in our formed world, there is a continuum from humans to electrons and that forms beyond those extremes would be found in other worlds.