What is sentience
Animal Ethics, November 18, 2023
Abstract
Sentience is the capacity to have positive and negative experiences. A sentient being is conscious and aware of its experiences. Being sentient is synonymous with being capable of being harmed or benefited. Although terms like “suffering” and “enjoyment” often refer to physical sensations, in the context of sentience they encompass any positive or negative experience. Mental states are experiences, and any conscious being, regardless of intellectual ability, has them. This suggests that many nonhuman animals possess mental states and are therefore sentient. – AI-generated abstract.
