Most animals have a brain but they are not self-aware. So what is it that makes humans self-aware and conscious and different from other animals? Why is it that humans feel all sorts of emotions (love, sense of humor, joy, etc.) and other animals don’t?
That is an excellent question, and the most accurate answer is that no one knows. There are several theories, of course.
The primary difference between human and animal brains (at least higher animals) is the development of the pre-frontal cortex. The human pre-frontal cortex is by far the most developed, and largest proportionately, of all animals. It is believed that our self-awareness (metacognition, conciousness if you would take it that far) is largely thanks to this area of our brain. Many people would say our conciousness has supernatural origins as well (as of now there is no conclusive evidence to the contrary).
As for emotion, that localized in very different areas of the brain (limbic system, amygdala), and many people believe that higher animals are actually capable of feeling emotions. There is some evidence to support this, though it is of course difficult to prove.
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