# All animals are conscious: Shifting the null hypothesis in consciousness science

> https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mila.12498

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1111/mila.12498

## Abstract

> The marker approach is taken as best practice for answering the distribution question: Which animals are [conscious](https://wiki.g15e.com/pages/Animal%20consciousness.txt)? However, the methodology can be used to increase confidence in animals many presume to be unconscious, including <C. elegans>, leading to a trilemma: accept the worms as conscious; reject the specific markers; or reject the marker methodology for answering the distribution question. I defend the third option and argue that answering the distribution question requires a secure theory of consciousness. Accepting the hypothesis all animals are conscious will promote research leading to secure theory, which is needed to create reliable consciousness tests for animals and [AI](https://wiki.g15e.com/pages/Artificial%20intelligence.txt)s. Rather than asking the distribution question, we should shift to the dimensions question: How are animals conscious?