How do you know that? Even the wikipedia article you linked describes positions opposed to sentience as a function of nervous system...
On the flip side, how do you know that everything that has a nervous system is sentient?
I only know for sure that I am sentient. There's no way to prove that you are sentient. But since there's no significant physiological difference between us, it's safe to assume you are sentient. Same with animals
What constitutes a significant difference? One could argue insects are significantly different. They are not capable of self-recognition or complex thought. They don't exhibit signs of empathy even for their own kind. They act like little robots. Yet somehow they are considered sentient just to be on the safe side while nose bacteria are assumed non-sentient?
You admitted you can't know whether something is sentient, but you assume other things are just to be on the safe side. Moreover, you're willing to accept as sentience something less than complex thoughts or self awareness. For you, it seems that any kind of will or purpose-driven action seems to warrant benefit of the doubt for sentience. Then don't nose bacteria ...
alright alright. I admit this was a lark. It's getting hard to argue this side. You can eat your boogers and still call yourself vegan.
Lol. Let me clarify a little; I'd written that just as a woke up.
Our ability to feel comes from the nervous system. There's no significant physiological difference between you and I that would imply I can feel, but you can't.
Same with most animals. Cows, chickens, and pigs. They all have brains and nervous systems that work the same way ours do. On top of that, one can see that these animals are pained by something harmful, that they're happy when they're being pet, etc.
Some animals, scallops I believe, only have nerve ganglia (clusters of nerves), so whether that's enough to show sentience, we're not sure.
Bacteria and plants don't have brains or nervous systems. So unless there's another way something can feel, they're not sentient
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