[MD] Consciousness a la Platt

[ARLO J BENSINGER JR]

[Craig]
Lately I have been trying to induce self-consciousness in my cats by holding
them up to a mirror.

[Arlo]
I'd say your cats will never achieve self-consciousness (as we have it) until
their neurobiological complexity evolves to a point where they can hold shared
attention and begin manipulating social symbols. 

A strict physiologist might say that all it will take is for the
neurobiological complexity to appear.

Ham would say that your cat will not achieve self-consciousness until Essence
goes "Abracadabra" and gives cats the "gift of consciousness". (Maybe cats
would start off with greater consciousness than primates did, since Essence has
been coming up with new and better models of consciousness for quite a while).

Platt would say the same, but add that the reason cats are not self-conscious
is the Qualigod planned it to be that way (likely they were made to be
companions to man, a la Genesis). So your cat will never achieve
self-consciousness because it is not part of Qualigod's Master Plan.

Take your pick.