abacacus wrote:
XFilesGeek wrote:
It comes down to two things IMHO:
1. If it doesn't have a brain, it doesn't count. If we ascribe "sentience" to something without a brain, we might as well ascribe it to rocks and trees.
2. I'm a woman. I object to any and all notions to my body, or any part of my body, is "owned" and subject to regulation by any entity other than myself.
Badda-bing, badda-boom.
The definition of "sentient":
"Able to perceive or feel things," or a better version would be "able to react to stimuli".
Rocks aren't sentient, but many plants (if not all) certainly are. So are micro-organisms.
I was primarily referring to #1. Of course, if it doesn't have a brain, it can't do #2 either. As for plants, we know they react to sensory stimuli; we don't know how or if they "perceive" it.
Quote:
sentience or sentiency (ˈsɛnʃəns)
— n
1. the state or quality of being sentient; awareness
2. sense perception not involving intelligence or mental perception; feeling
However, to avoid semantic debates, let me rephrase to "consciousness," or "self-awareness.
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