I agree partly with what you are saying, but think there is, or should be, in this case a distinction between intelligence and conciousness...

It seems what you are talking about here is our higher intelligence rather than consciousness. Most people would argue that there are various levels of consciousness, as with intelligence.

It is my experience that consciousness exists to the degree of awareness capable of the being having consciousness, implying all things have consciousness, although they may not be aware of it.

All depends on definitions and agreements.