In my last post, I focused on the scientific errors underlying John Jeremiah Sullivan’s claim that we occupy a continuum of consciousness with other animals. In today’s much briefer post, I’d like to critique Sullivan’s philosophical errors. Part Two: Sullivan’s philosophical errors Chapter 6 – What science can and cannot do One of the major flaws in Sullivan’s elegantly crafted essay is its failure to acknowledge the inherent limitations of science. Nowhere is this clearer than in Sullivan’s discussion of animal consciousness. He writes: If we put aside the self-awareness standard … it becomes possible to say at least the following: the overwhelming tendency of all this scientific work, of its results, has been toward more consciousness. More species having … Continue reading The Myth of the Continuum of Creatures: A Reply to John Jeremiah Sullivan (Part Two)