After receiving her PhD from Temple University in philosophy of religion, Stephanie Theodorou focused her attention to the study of consciousness and the role of symbolism in cognition. Her interest in animal consciousness evolved from her research in phenomenological accounts of experience in Western and Eastern philosophical traditions. She has been teaching at the university level for the past 30 years and has published work on the philosophical implications of the emotional life of animals, metaphor and mind, hermeneutics, and Asian philosophy. She taught and directed the Honors Program at Immaculata University in Malvern, PA. and currently teaches at the University of Central Florida. After receiving her PhD from Temple University in philosophy of religion, Stephanie Theodorou focused her attention to the study of consciousness and the role of symbolism in cognition. Her interest in animal consciousness evolved from her research in phenomenological accounts of experience in Western and Eastern philosophical traditions. She has been teaching at the university level for the past 30 years and has published work on the philosophical implications of the emotional life of animals, metaphor and mind, hermeneutics, and Asian philosophy. She taught and directed the Honors Program at Immaculata University in Malvern, PA. and currently teaches at the University of Central Florida. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx