Are humans unique in being able to conceive of the concepts of past and future? We consciously plan for the future. Are we unique in that regard? I thought about animals that hibernate, and I'm fairly sure that their planning for the future is not a conscious decision but an instinctual one. I would be interested to hear of counter-examples.
If humans are unique in being able conceive and therefore plan around the past and future, then it would seem to be a very mixed blessing.