Sentience

Not to be confused with Sapience.
"Sentient" redirects here. For other uses, see Sentient (disambiguation).
Determining which animals can experience sensations is challenging, but scientists generally agree that vertebrates, as well as many invertebrate species, are likely sentient.[1][2]

Sentience is the ability to experience feelings and sensations.[3] It may not necessarily imply higher cognitive functions such as awareness, reasoning, or complex thought processes. Sentience is an important concept in ethics, as the ability to experience happiness or suffering often forms a basis for determining which entities deserve moral consideration, particularly in utilitarianism.[4]

In Asian religions, the word "sentience" has been used to translate a variety of concepts. In science fiction, the word "sentience" is sometimes used interchangeably with "sapience", "self-awareness", or "consciousness".[5] Some writers differentiate between the mere ability to perceive sensations, such as light or pain, and the ability to perceive emotions, such as fear or grief. The subjective awareness of experiences by a conscious individual are known as qualia in Western philosophy.[5]

  1. ^ Birch, Jonathan (2021-05-16). "Which animals should be considered sentient in the eyes of the law?". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2024-06-09.
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference CDC2012 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "Definition of SENTIENT". Merriam Webster Dictionary. 2024-07-18. Retrieved 2024-07-21.
  4. ^ "The Grounds of Moral Status". Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. 2023.
  5. ^ a b Scerri, Mariella; Grech, Victor E. (2016). "Sentience in science fiction 101". SFRA Review. 315: 14–18. Retrieved 31 January 2021.