Comments on: On the Origin of “Sentient” http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/ Deconstructing our relationship with other animals since 2006. Wed, 03 Apr 2013 17:12:30 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Boyd http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/#comment-7285 Boyd Tue, 18 Dec 2007 12:29:54 +0000 http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/#comment-7285 Dan, you left out the next comment regarding nice shoes, belt, purse, jacket, etc. :)

]]> By: Dan http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/#comment-7284 Dan Fri, 14 Dec 2007 17:54:42 +0000 http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/#comment-7284 Vegan: one who eats meat. LOL. It may take a few years, but it wouldn't surprise me at all, especially with all of the cooperation between vegans and the meat industry.

Meat industry: "Hey activists (PETA, HSUS, et al), why don't we sell 'vegan meat'! It will be real flesh from real nonhuman beings, but of course it will be from chickens, cows and pigs who were treated humanely under the strictest welfare standards."

New Welfarists: "Wow! How come we never thought of that! Eventually, everyone can say they're vegan! It will be a vegan world just like we always wanted!"

]]> By: Mary Martin http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/#comment-7283 Mary Martin Fri, 14 Dec 2007 17:35:18 +0000 http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/#comment-7283 Okay, what I failed miserably at was the backstory. Someone from the forum at http://www.animalsuffering.com wrote me asking specifically about the earliest references to sentient (and I added sentience for good measure). What I think about sentience in 2007 isn't really the point here.

As a linguist, I find it fascinating how so many words change in meaning, over time. One can easily make an argument that "animal rights" (through the stages of co-opting) now means animal welfare to some people. I wait for the day that vegan means: one who eats meat.

]]> By: Dan http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/#comment-7282 Dan Fri, 14 Dec 2007 17:13:35 +0000 http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/#comment-7282 Sentience, the way I see it, can come in degrees, but at its fullest, which includes vertibrates with complex central nervous systems (which includes all farmed animals), it includes a very strong experience of self.

I talked about sentience and its relevance to rights last week:

http://unpopularveganessays.blogspot.com/2007/12/sentience-morally-relevant.html

It is meaningful to contrast sentience with sapience. Sapience is a form of cognitive intelligence which allows the organism to make complex judgments. Millions of sentient humans are not sapient. Sentience suffices for a basic right to physical security. Read more in the above link if you're curious.

]]> By: Boyd http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/#comment-7281 Boyd Fri, 14 Dec 2007 10:27:01 +0000 http://www.animalperson.net/on-the-origin-of-sentient/#comment-7281 As a decidedly non-vegan, it seems to me that the definition of the word is immaterial. While the definitions of many words change over time, your beliefs as a vegan would seem to be separate from that (but may also change over time).

Aside from that, though, I'm glad to read your thoughts on the word "sentience," because I'm still striving to understand your (the collective "your," meaning "vegans'") beliefs.

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