Animals.

[StMorningGlory]

Check out "The Story or Separation" on the MAPS's website. It talks a lot about how humans developed the anthropocentric point of view that makes us think we are better and have dominion over animals.

This isn't the exact article I was thinking of but they explain it well.

http://www.maps.org/news/bulletin/a...psychedelics-and-systems-change---spring-2016

 

[Volsam]

Appreciate the link, thank you, StMorningGlory!

According to Buddhism teachings, any living creature we meet during our life journey could be an ultimate teacher of wisdom if recognized as such and vice versa we all are teachers to others.

 

[bickoma]

Just so you have a point of reference, here's a list of animals that pass "the mirror test" - it may surprise you.

http://www.animalcognition.org/2015/04/15/list-of-animals-that-have-passed-the-mirror-test/

 

[white55]

I have no proof but I highly doubt that animals are just mindless automatons. Anyone who has been around them could tell you that they have distinct personalities. Now I doubt that most have human level consciousness and self awareness but there is a huge area between mindless automaton and a person. I'd put animals somewhere between the two extremes depending on the complexity of their nervous systems and upbringing. Besides human actions could be interpreted as the actions of a highly complex automaton with no real self awareness and free will.

 

[Durzo1258]

Anyone who knows some biology knows animals differ massively in terms of intelligence and putting them in one basket is ignorant. Like I said before dolphins are closer to us than to hamsters.