What is it about?
Cephalopods split away from the phylogenetic tree about half a billion years ago, and octopus evolution has been accelerated by an extremely low survival rate. This helps explain why this unusual animal presents qualities found in no other. It has a radially organized nervous system with a processing centre for each of its eight tentacles. Yet, although this might suggest that each tentacle has its own centre of consciousness, it remains just one animal, with one mouth to feed, and one life to lose, and it behaves as if it is centrally controlled. Its capacity for a range of intelligent and often cognitive behaviour suggests that it must have its own version of sentience.
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Why is it important?
Recognizing the nature of animal awareness in all its forms, is an important aspect of the search for the true understanding of life.
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This page is a summary of: The perfecting of the octopus, Animal Sentience, January 2019, WellBeing International Publications,
DOI: 10.51291/2377-7478.1494.
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