Very interesting post and a thoroughly explained subject, loved the read:)

I think that the only difference between animals and humans is that we say there is a difference. It is not us that is consciouss it is all matter that acts conscioussly and whe are a part of that, everything is. Everything has a spirit to 'us' as long as we enchant it with substantial meaning. That doesn't mean that something has no consciousness just because we fail to define it in such a way so that it has. A difference in degree doesn't feel like a real difference at all. <3