The human brain is therefore said to be the only known mind device in the universe capable of understanding the universe. But how can we be sure we are not misunderstanding the nature of the world in itself at such a basic level we can never see it?
I think the human brain is capable of understanding the universe in varying degrees some more than others as we explore it, but the knowledge is not absolute. Our sensual understand is admitted arbitrary as for instance the minds interpretation of colors is not according to reality it is according to visual interpretations of light wave lengths as is sound waves also producing in the mind what we hear, as in the old saying: 'if a tree falls in the forest and no one is their to hear it does it make a sound?'
In my idea of consciousness and I'm sure others as well will agree that it does not require complex thinking with all the details of the specific event in ones awareness. Instead I view it as some creatures are simply more aware than other creatures and respond differently to different stimuli according to their nature of existence with varying degrees of complexity.
There since a dog may not make plans for tomorrow and is more in the now than in the past or present doesn't constitute a lack of consciousness but simply a different form of degree of consciousness.