So is it the physical form of the brain that gives it that capacity, or is it simply axiomatic that humans are different from other animals?
Are apes having sign language conscious? Chomsky says no, and his views are golden on this forum. ;^)
Is there some test, even a hypothetical one, that could settle the issue?
So is it the physical form of the brain that gives it that capacity, or is it simply axiomatic that humans are different from other animals?
I'm not sure what the physical difference would be, though I suspect there is a difference (possibly in frequency calibration) that allows the human to transmit/receive the neshama as well as the nephesh.
Are apes having sign language conscious?
I don't believe so. Apes learning sign language is much like mice learning mazes or dogs learning tricks. If any animal shows willfulness, to me it would be cats. (LOL!) The others display a learned response.
Is there some test, even a hypothetical one, that could settle the issue?
Again, I am not certain. I suspect the Penrose/Hameroff model is the best one currently proposed to broach the subject (the OR theory.) But there are others, and a great website to track the development of hypotheses is PSYCHE An Interdisciplinary Journal of Research on Consciousness