We declare the following: The absence of a neocortex does not appear to preclude an organism from experiencing affective states. Convergent evidence indicates that non-human animals have the neuroanatomical, neurochemical, and neurophysiological substrates of conscious states along with the capacity to exhibit intentional behaviors. Consequently, the weight of evidence indicates that humans are not unique in possessing the neurological substrates that generate consciousness. Nonhuman animals, including all mammals and birds, and many other creatures, including octopuses, also possess these neurological substrates.
Stephen Hawking — considered the greatest mind in physics since Albert Einstein — was the guest of honor at the signing ceremony. The declaration was authored by Philip Low and edited by Jaak Panksepp, Diana Reiss, David Edelman, Bruno Van Swinderen, Philip Low and Christof Koch, all well-respected neuroscientists. The signing was memorialized by 60 Minutes.
Joseph Dial, former Executive Director of the Mind Science Foundation, explains why this declaration is historic and groundbreaking:
What is Consciousness?
There is an important distinction between intelligence and consciousness. Intelligence is measured by the “capacity for learning, reasoning, understanding, and similar forms of mental activity; aptitude in grasping truths, relationships, facts, meanings, etc.” So, is it fair to say humans are more intelligent than animals? Animals certainly have a capacity for learning. They cannot create an atomic bomb; maybe that should define them as smart?
The dictionary defines consciousness as “aware of one’s own existence, sensations, thoughts, surroundings, etc.” Take a good, hard look at your pet; for that matter, watch a zoo elephant or a deer in the woods. They are always aware of their own existence. They feel pain and other sensations. Your dog may get annoyed with you if you tease him with a treat for too long before tossing it his way. A deer caught in your headlights feels fear before deciding to take flight. Elephants mourn their family members just like humans.
What This Means for the Future
For millennia, humans have held onto their hubris regarding the belief in human superiority. Perhaps The Cambridge Declaration of Consciousness will inspire a different attitude and further research into the minds of all non-human creatures.
Starting with animal rights through to veganism, changing the minds of those who believe humans are “top dog” will be a challenge. Notable scientists formally recognizing animal consciousness on a level with humans should make for some interesting conversations.
Walk to the Dying Flower Markets of Delhi
The city of flowers is giving way to the city of flyovers!
Sunday 18th July 2010
6 am to 11 am
6 am: Collecting at meeting point
11 am: Walk finishes at meeting point
Meeting Point
Near Ticket Counter, Dilli Haat, Opp. INA Market
Please park your vehicles here, the group will proceed in an AC bus from here.
Mode of Commuting: Bus / Walk
Description
The walk will take you to the three main flower markets of Delhi. The flower markets of Delhi are temples of beauty amidst the concrete jungle of the city, and an integral part of the city’s heritage and culture.
Sadly however, the Government of Delhi, in an extremely myopic vein is relocating these flower markets to one singular flower market in Ghazipur. We at The Genda Phool Project however are formulating a strategy of building public opinion against this proposal. We are working towards the possibilities of a campaign to save these markets on grounds of right to livelihood, issues of displacement, as well as issues of urban heritage and aesthetics, and those of people’s participation, involvement and consent in development initiatives.
Each of the three flower markets is beautiful in that they have a distinct and unique character, which will be lost once they are relocated in a strange “flower market building” on the outskirts of the city.
We will start our Phool Mandi walk with the market at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, opposite Hanuman Mandir. The mandi operates from 4 am to 9 am, and accomplishes business worth crores in this duration. The flash in the pan phenomenon – here now, gone in a second, is fascinating. This is ’s largest flower market, and specialises largely in cut flowers of all varieties and even some dry flowers and flower decoration equipments.
From New Delhi we move to Old Delhi, to explore the Genda Phool Mandi at Fatehpuri Masjid, Chandni Chowk. Again, only a morning mandi. Farmers and flower sellers are seen milling around, and again, by around 9 am the mandi vanishes, and the spice market of Khari Baoli, around which the mandi is located, emerges. This mandi only sells genda phool (marigold flower) in its loose form.
Finally, we will take you to another city of Delhi – Mehrauli. The Mehrauli flower market again largely specialises in Genda Phool (in loose and garland form) but also some cut flowers. This Mandi however, is open all day, unlike the other two which are temporary / morning ones.
Do join us for this one, it may be one of your last chances to see these lovely flower markets if the government has its way. But we are hoping it will not…
Itinerary
6 am – Collect at meeting point. Please be on time.
6.30 am – 7.15 am – Explore the Phool Mandi (flower market) at Baba Kharak Singh Marg, Connaught Place.
8 am – 9 am – Fatehpuri Flower Market, Chandni Chowk. Indian breakfast at Chandni Chowk, at participant’s cost.
9.45 – 10.15 am – Mehrauli Flower Market
11 am – Walk finishes at Dilli Haat
Maximum number of participants
35-40
Registration Details
Contribution: Rs. 500/- per person.
No contribution to be paid for children if they are sharing a seat.
To register and for details contact Himanshu Verma
41764054 himanshu@redearthindia.com
Notes
Please carry the following: umbrella / hat, water.
We will provide some sharbats (traditional Indian cold drinks) / tea / refreshments on the bus.
Carry bags for buying flowers. Say no to plastic!
We, the International Council of Thirteen Indigenous Grandmothers
Ask you to join us:
MAY 18, 2010
CONSCIOUS PARTICIPATION IN HEALING OUR PLANETARY WATERS
OUR MOTHER EARTH NEEDS YOUR HELP!
Along with many peoples all around the globe, and many water prayers this spring, we are calling for a MASSIVE GLOBAL EFFORT
Our main intention for this healing is to return the waters to their original pure crystalline blueprint, and to add to their abundance for the nourishment of ALL living things on the planet.
Pray in your local waterways, at the rivers or lakes or streams. Or pray with a bowl of water in the middle of the cities.
“We are Water Babies.
Do not to forget to say thank you every day for the water you drink,
the water you bathe in.
Without our Mother water we would not survive.” Grandmother Agnes Baker Pilgrim, Takelma Siletz, Oregon
The specific ceremonies being conducted on May 18, 2010:
Grandmothers will be holding Water Prayers in the following places: African Rainforest, Gabon – Grandmother Bernadette Rebienot Great Lakes, USA - Grandmother Rita Blumenstein Mountains of Oaxaca, Huautla de Jimenez – Grandmother Julieta Casimiro Desert of the American Southwest – Grandmother Mona Polacca France - Grandmother Flordemayo Black Hills of North America – Beatrice and Rita Long Visitor Holy Dance Plains of North America, Montana – Grandmother Margaret Behan Hood River, Oregon – Agnes Baker Pilgrim Nepalese Himalayas – Aama Bombo Brazilian Amazon - Grandmothers Maria Alice Freire and Clara Shinobu Iura Tibetan Ceremonies in Canada – Tsering Dolma Gyaltong Mahia, Aotearoa, New Zealand – Ambassador Pauline Tangiora
At the same time, people will be praying at
Nine specific bodies of water around the planet using crystalline energy
· Lake Tahoe, California
· Lake Titicaca, Peru
· Lake MacKay Australia
· Lake Chad, Africa
· Lake Bikkal, Russia
· Lake Kissyk-Kul, Kyrgyzstan
· Lake Geneva, Switzerland
· Lake Superior, Minnesota
· Colorado River Complex (Healing and Purification Ceremonies for this vital USA waterway)
“Water reflects the human soul. If you say, ‘thank you’ to water, it will be reflected in the form of beautiful crystals overflowing with gratitude in return.” Masuru Emoto, The Secret Life of Water
Keep the promise to protect the Great Bear Rainforest! That’s what you need to tell British Columbia Premier Gordon Campbell. It’s the world’s largest temperate rainforest and home to the ‘Spirit Bear,’ the rarely seen white form of the black bear, as well as the forest-nesting marbled murrelet sea bird and salmon-eating coastal wolves.
A couple of years ago, Premier Campbell made a very specific commitment to preserve this precious rainforest. The final countdown is on for the BC government to make their promise a reality by the March 31, 2009 deadline. Premier Campbell needs to hear from you.
We are down to the wire. Unless all elements of the promise are kept, the ecological health of the rainforest will be in jeopardy once again. We’ve come so far towards the rare success of having a vast unspoiled forest safeguarded, let’s not undermine all this good work by not reaching the finish line.
Help us tell the BC government that a promise is a promise. Send your message to BC Premier Gordon Campbell today! (Copied to Environment Minister Barry Penner, Agriculture & Lands Minister Stan Hagen, and Forests & Range Minister Pat Bell).
Thank you for voicing your support for the Great Bear Rainforest at this critical time.
CALIFORNIA State University, CHICO, USA has expressed its willingness to establish an environmental research centre at one of the oldest nurseries of the country and requested the Punjab government to save the botanical garden from commercialism.
The issue of razing one of the oldest nurseries in Pakistan gained international attention after the Model Town Society (MTS) got possession of the 28 kanal land with over 15,000 plants including many rare species some days back.
A local civil court had already issued contempt of court notices to the MTS office-bearers for displacing the owners who leased the nursery.
Professor Iftikhar Ahmed, Environmentalist and Botanical Gardens Consultant, California and Oregon, USA called the correspondent from USA and raised serious concern over the taking over of the Mian Brothers Nursery by the MTS, and said the government should intervene to rescue the plants.
“Unfortunately, I was recently informed that the Model Town Society again has attacked the garden. This time they are heavily armed, with some corrupt police and apparently they have blockaded the garden and they are readying to bulldoze the garden. It is difficult to understand how such an action can be allowed,” he said.
Talking about the project of establishing a research centre in Mian Brothers Nursery, he said, “We have great interest in protecting educational and natural resources. Here in the University of California, we have considered the possibility of establishing a cooperative environmental sciences programme with Pakistan, possibly using the garden as a site to establish an environmental education centre. While it is agreed that such a programme might be highly beneficial to the citizens of Pakistan, we were advised not to pursue such a venture until there is greater stability in Pakistan. The suggestion was made not because of local instability, but because of the obvious regional disruptions.”
He revealed that in the last meeting of Environment studies department of California State University, CHICO it was decided that the university would establish an environmental sciences and horticultural studies research centre in the Mian Brothers Nursery & Botanical Garden without destroying the environment of the existing garden and no trees would be cut for this purpose.
About the funds, he said the project would be run through NGOs and the university would give scholarships to the local students. The funds will be released not at once and will take time, he maintained.
He also revealed that the Director of the Environmental Department has also written letters to the Pakistan embassy in Washington DC and US embassy in Pakistan regarding the issue.
He said he also wrote letters to the Minister of Environment seeking his intervention into the issue.
He said the university would soon send a letter of support to the chief minister of Punjab and would request the Chief Justice of Lahore High Court as well as the Federal government in Pakistan to save this precious nursery and rare species of plants, which are at the brink of extinction.
Prof Iftikhar said that these kind of brutal activities against the local environment (destroying plants trees and green spaces) would negatively affect the local environment.
He added that such situations create more difficulties in attracting international environmental protection funds as well as educational funds to Pakistan.
On the other hand, when contacted, MTS President Col (Retd) Tahir Kardar said the MTS would not allow establishment of any such centre in the nursery. He said the land was the property of MTS and the society has already approved construction of a shopping mall at the site.
