Key Differences Between Human and Animal Consciousness

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What makes the human
consciousness different from the

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animal consciousness?
A primary factor is the

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possibility that a human being
has for detaching himself from

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total involvement in the
external life and along with

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that, the opportunity for
evolutionary growth.

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Doctor Delal observes Quote.
The essential difference between

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an animal and a human being,
states tree or a window, is that

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the animal quote cannot get for
one moment away from its origins

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and become something greater
than its present self, a more

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free, magnificent and noble
being.

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End Quote.
Whereas the human being has the

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potential ability to exceed and
even transform the basic

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instinctive nature which he
shares with the animal.

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Therefore, whereas the animal
always remains an animal, man

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can grow into a being who is as
much above the human being as

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the human being is above the
animal.

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This immense difference between
man and animal is due to several

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distinguishing features of their
psychological natures.

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First, consciousness in the
human being has developed the

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power of detachment, that is, of
standing back and observing

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things as a spectator, Sri
Orobindo notes quote it.

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Consciousness is not by its
nature detached from the mental

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and other activities.
It can be detached.

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It can be involved in the human
consciousness.

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It is as a rule always involved.
But it has developed the power

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of detaching itself, a thing
which the lower creation seems

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unable to do.
As the consciousness develops,

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this power of detachment also
develops.

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End Quote.
Human consciousness can detach

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itself and stand back not only
from what lies outside in the

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environment, but also from
internal thoughts and feelings,

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thus dividing itself into a part
that observes and a part that is

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observed.
This power of detachment makes

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for a reflective intelligence
which a human being is capable

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of exercising, as distinguished
from the reactive intelligence

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of the animal.
With the power of detachment and

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a reflective intelligence, the
human being can control, modify

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and overcome the force of
instincts and impulses, unlike

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the animal which cannot act
contrary to its innate nature.

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Secondly, though all behaviour
in the animal as well as in the

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human being is purposive, that
is, directed towards the

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fulfillment of some purpose or
goal, the human being, as

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distinguished from the animal,
has the potential of conceiving

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and pursuing higher goals,
moral, intellectual and

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aesthetic, beyond the basic ones
related to physical and

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biological existence.
Thirdly, the more highly

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developed the human being, in
contrast to the animal, is

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discontented with what he is and
feels an urge for growth towards

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what he conceives to be an ideal
state of being. 1/4

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Distinguishing human
characteristic and this brings

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us to the subject matter of this
book, is that the human mind,

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unlike that of the animal, can
look at something and react to

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it from different perspectives.
In other words, the human being

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can adopt different attitudes to
the same thing, event or

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circumstance.
The enormous significance of

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this human characteristic is
implicit in a statement by

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William James, one of the most
celebrated psychologists.

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The quote The greatest discovery
of my generation is that men can

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alter their lives by altering
their attitudes of mind.

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End Quote Reference Sri Orabindo
and the Mother looking from

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within Introduction by Doctor
Delal Pages Roman 3 to Roman 4.