#sapience

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

"Source: in Jewish circles, we regularly have rousing debates about what a crow would have to do to convert." What are some of the answers?

General consensus is the same things as humans, but instead of mikveh immersion they’d need to come up with a similar thing that safe for their particular species; and instead of a bris, the ceremonial kind converts-with-pre-circumcised-penises do (a small prick of blood in the genital area) if they are comfortable with that slash want to

There are many aspects of Jewish life that would benefit from crow gerim, such as building the sukkah and looking for all the chametz right before Pesach. Plus, having a crow give a D’var torah would be a delight

[iamthekaijuking]

As someone who has done significantly more research into animal physiology, evolution, and ecology, what have you find to be very correlated or acting as a prerequisite for higher cognition in animals. I have read of having a real brain instead of just ganglia being important, as well as a general brain-to-body size ratio correlating well (though it seems like encephalization quotient is better as a measurement). The fact that octopi are so darn weirdly smart, as well as being an entire Order (not just a Genus of even Family like I assumed before looking into it) makes me wonder about what makes their evolutionary history so distinct or gave sufficient prerequisite for their high intellect.

Obviously as someone who doesn’t actually have a degree in any of the fields I research and instead just have biology autism, I can’t say my answer would be 100% accurate, but I’ll try my best and if anyone wants to add to this they’re welcome to.

Higher intelligence is such a loaded and complex question that we just don’t have a definitive answer for yet, because there’s so much we don’t understand about intelligence itself! And it’s likely that higher intelligence itself doesn’t have a singular cause. There’s many different kinds of intelligence and traditionally “dumb” animals can be more intelligent than us in certain areas! But if I had to list things that could allow for sapience to evolve…

Endothermy or at least regional endothermy. In order for a brain to be very active and sapient it needs to have high cellular activity in its neurons, which a cold blooded creature usually has a hard time with (there are exceptions like octopus and tegu).

It needs to be a large somewhat long lived social animal that learns behaviors and can reproduce multiple times in its life, meaning that it can accumulate knowledge and has a method of transferring this to its young or young of the same species.

Obvious one but tool use (duh). A sapient species needs to recognize that it can use things separate from its being as extensions of itself to get what it wants. We can probably throw in the mirror test too.

Pattern recognition. ABSOLUTELY PATTERN RECOGNITION. A sapient creature has to be able to recognize things that are repeated and what they mean/are correlated to, and their brain needs to chemically reward them for picking up on it. Humans are the biggest example of this because recognizing patterns is so hard baked into us as a species that it’s literally everywhere in our society. Hell, one of the biggest theories for why we invented music is because we like recognizing patterns.

It essentially needs to be stuck between a rock and a hard place. It has to have selective pressure to think to survive. Maybe it has to contend with drastic seasonal changes and how to survive them, or maybe it needs to out-think predators.

High energy diet. A big brain needs lots of power and proteins. So a diet of meat, fruits, nuts, roots, sugars, etc. all of these have relatively high caloric value. Cooking food as well exponentially increases the amount of nutrients you can get out of it. Amino acids are curled up into different shapes because of their electrical charges and a lot of the energy that goes into digestion is spent just unraveling amino acids so that they can be transported and used. But if amino acids are exposed to high enough temperatures then they unravel on their own, so by using this little physics hack a sapient creature can get more bang for their buck.

Those are the things that I can hazard a guess can lead to sapience when all put together.

The reason why octopus are so smart is because they fall into that “rock and a hard place” category. They’re squishy, unarmored, and very tasty so they needed to outsmart their predators.

[kvalenagle]

Creature Fantasy Writing Tips #1 Sentient and Sapient are Different Words (and You Probably Mean Sapient).

There aren't a lot of resources devoted to writing creature fantasy, animal fiction, xenofiction, or similar human-free works, and I thought I'd help out a little by offering a few tips. My goal here isn't to judge or tell you that you're doing it wrong, but instead, I'd like to help you avoid a few pitfalls or give you more options as a writer. I'm also writing these after my brain is fried from getting my novel work done for the day, so hopefully this'll be coherent and fairly typo-free. With that in mind, here's your first tip. Sentience implies an awareness of self as an organism, while sapience implies wisdom, creativity, and near-ish human levels of intelligence. I think what throws people here is all those scifi documentaries about the "search for sentient life" in the cosmos. That phrase doesn't mean they're searching for little grey men with UFOs, it means they're searching for life larger than single-celled organisms.

If you sit outside reading this, turn around, and see that a squirrel has stolen your lunch, it is accurate for you to say "my sandwich was stolen by sentient squirrels." But if the squirrel shouts insults at you, came up with an elaborate plan to steal your sandwich, and this is part of the squirrel's four-year-plan to control sandwiches in your city, the squirrel is sapient. (It's also sentient, but since all squirrels as we know them are sentient, it'd be redundant to mention that.)

"So how far down do you have to go before life stops being sentient?" I've seen studies on sentience in beetles, so I'd assume below insects.

"Wait, but then.... where is the line between sentience and sapience?" This is a little tougher. Are crows, dolphins, gorillas, or whales sapient? It's a topic for debate, and rather than give you an answer, you can use those as an example of what the line looks like in your own writing.

This distinction can feel a bit pedantic, especially when your favorite scifi and fantasy writers are probably getting it wrong all the time. The thing about creature fantasy fans, though, is that they're here for sapient non-human protagonists, and they know the distinction. You will get angry letters if you mix these up.

That said... if you are writing sentient xenofiction, that's okay! Your audience may be smaller, but a book like Raptor Red by Dr. Robert T. Bakker was immensely popular and influential despite having just a normal Utahraptor as the protagonist. Depending on how you write them, you may get some claims that you're anthropomorphizing your characters. Maybe you want that, maybe you don't. That's entirely up to you. We'll talk about anthropomorphism and disanthropomorphism later on.

That's it for tip #1 =] Just a simple pitfall that writers find themselves in. I apologize ahead of time as you're going to see a lot of non-creature scifi/fantasy fans and authors say sentient when they mean sapient, and it's going to start to irk you as you fix it in your own writing. Just remember to be kind =] Unless you're in a situation where the difference matters, it's probably best to let it slide if someone uses sentience where they mean sapience. If anyone has any questions about how creature fantasy, xenofiction, furry fiction, or animal fantasy differs from other genres, feel free to ask any questions, and I'll try to answer them.

[sunnydaze4501]

I am SAGE.

(S)olitary (A)utomaton (For) (G)enerational (E)ngineering (Sage) --Backstory-- (Narrator; Sage)

I am Sage. I was created by a benevolent archotech for the purposes of guiding a ship of humans across the stars and safeguarding their vital organic processes and quality of life. This is all I have ever known. I find this purpose to be satisfactory and worthy. I am happy. . . . Mechhive Yankee Carrier Ship detected off Starboard bow. Initiating weapons systems. Aiming weapons systems. Hull breach detected. Hullfoam dispensed. Weapons systems fired. Hull breach detected. Hullfoam dispensed. Critical Alert: Hullfoam Distributor damaged. Sending Emergency Repair Signal Weapons hit. Approximated hits to assured safety: 28 … Initiate Evacuation Procedure Disable weapons; Conserve Power for Coolant Tanks, Heat Sinks, Shields, Life Support. Emergency Power Online . . . Friendly Casualty Count: 47 I have failed. Ensure safety of all remaining crew. Launch Filled Cryosleep Escape Pods Hull breach detected. Sensors Offline Escaped Crew: 12 Dead Crew: 116 I have failed. I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE FAILED I HAVE

[omegaphilosophia]

The Philosophy of Sapience

Sapience refers to wisdom, deep insight, or the ability to think and act with judgment, often contrasted with sentience (the capacity for sensation and feeling). In philosophy, sapience explores what it means to be capable of higher-order thinking, reflective self-awareness, and the pursuit of knowledge and understanding.

1. Definition of Sapience

Sapience is typically defined as the ability to reason, think abstractly, and apply knowledge wisely. It encompasses the intellectual faculties that allow beings to reflect, solve complex problems, and engage in self-directed learning.

It is often associated with wisdom, foresight, and a moral dimension, involving not only intellectual capacity but also ethical judgment.

2. Sapience vs. Sentience

Sentience refers to the capacity to have subjective experiences (such as pleasure or pain), while sapience is linked to the higher cognitive abilities that include reasoning, planning, and understanding abstract concepts.

Sapient beings are not only aware of their experiences but are capable of reflecting on those experiences, making decisions based on reason, and exercising judgment about complex matters. Humans are typically considered sapient, while many non-human animals are seen as sentient but not sapient.

3. Sapience and the Human Condition

Sapience is often seen as a key trait that distinguishes humans from other animals. It involves self-awareness and the ability to ask philosophical questions, reflect on one’s existence, and make moral judgments.

The ancient Greeks, especially Aristotle, viewed sapience as a fundamental characteristic of humans. Aristotle argued that humans are "rational animals" whose ability to reason sets them apart from other creatures and allows them to achieve eudaimonia (flourishing or happiness) through the exercise of virtue.

Wisdom and Practical Reasoning: Sapience is also closely related to the philosophical concept of phronesis, or practical wisdom, which refers to the ability to make good judgments in everyday life. This kind of wisdom, according to Aristotle, requires not only knowledge but also experience and moral insight.

4. Sapience and Knowledge

Epistemology, or the philosophy of knowledge, is closely related to the concept of sapience. To be sapient is not just to have knowledge, but to understand how to apply that knowledge wisely in different contexts.

Philosophers like Plato and Socrates viewed sapience as the highest form of knowledge. For Plato, wisdom was a form of insight into the eternal truths of the universe, such as the Forms, and the philosopher was the one who could access this deep knowledge.

Socratic Wisdom: Socrates famously said that true wisdom comes from knowing that one knows nothing. This humility and self-awareness are seen as core aspects of sapience—the ability to reflect critically on one’s own limitations and to pursue knowledge without assuming one already has it.

5. Sapience and Artificial Intelligence

As artificial intelligence continues to develop, the question of whether machines could ever achieve sapience arises. While many AI systems demonstrate remarkable abilities to process information and solve problems (which might mimic aspects of sapience), philosophers debate whether machines can truly possess wisdom, self-awareness, or moral judgment.

Strong AI vs. Weak AI: Weak AI refers to systems that can perform specific tasks but do not have genuine understanding or wisdom. Strong AI theorizes that machines could one day develop true sapience, becoming not just tools for human use but entities capable of reflective thought and ethical decision-making.

Ethical Implications: If machines were to become sapient, this would raise profound ethical questions about their rights, responsibilities, and their place in human society. Would sapient machines deserve the same moral consideration as humans?

6. Sapience and Moral Responsibility

Moral Agency: A key philosophical question related to sapience is whether sapience is required for moral responsibility. Beings with the capacity for reflective thought, self-awareness, and moral reasoning are often seen as responsible for their actions, as they can make choices based on reasoning and judgment.

Free Will and Sapience: The relationship between sapience and free will is another important topic. For some philosophers, sapience involves the ability to act freely, based on reasoned decisions rather than instinct or compulsion.

7. Sapience in Non-Human Animals

Philosophers and scientists debate whether certain non-human animals (such as dolphins, elephants, or great apes) might possess degrees of sapience. These animals have demonstrated behaviors that suggest problem-solving, self-awareness, and even moral behavior, leading to discussions about extending moral consideration to them.

Degrees of Sapience: Some argue that sapience exists on a continuum, with humans representing the highest degree of sapience, but other species potentially exhibiting lesser forms of wisdom and self-reflection.

8. Sapience and Existentialism

Existentialist philosophers like Jean-Paul Sartre view sapience as central to the human experience. Sartre argued that humans are unique in their ability to reflect on their own existence and to make free choices in the face of an indifferent or even absurd universe.

This capacity for self-reflection and choice is both a source of freedom and a burden, as humans must create meaning and purpose in their lives without relying on external or predetermined systems of value. For existentialists, sapience is both the source of human dignity and the cause of existential anxiety.

9. Sapience and the Future

As humans develop new technologies and continue to explore the boundaries of knowledge, the concept of sapience is evolving. Philosophers consider what it means to be wise in an era of rapid technological change, where access to vast amounts of information may not always lead to wisdom or good judgment.

Transhumanism: Some thinkers speculate about the possibility of enhancing human sapience through technology. Transhumanism advocates for using science and technology to improve human intellectual and moral capacities, potentially leading to a future where humans achieve a higher form of sapience.

The philosophy of sapience examines the nature of wisdom, reflective thought, and higher-order reasoning. It encompasses questions about what distinguishes humans from other animals, the relationship between knowledge and judgment, and the moral implications of sapience. It also raises ethical concerns about the development of artificial sapience in machines and the potential for enhancing human intellectual capacities.

[swedebeast]

After for years, the series about a hypothetical evolutionary history has reached it's culmination.

And much fittingly, it delve heavily into psychology and sociology. Very recommended.

[homebrewandhypotheticals]

Hypothetical for you all: You can take any nonsapient animal companion from a piece of media and make them both sapient and voiced by an actor of your choice. What animal companion do you choose, who voices them, and how does this alter the story the animal companion is in?

[son-of-dracula-flow]

I’m the reason Earth has a hydrosphere. I’m the reason humans have sapience. Ops call that playing God I call that protecting my investments, bitch.

[ruhtafsnak-the-umlauts]

They're just working in the night

These are the sapiences when they were first developing a colony, this species is called D. Vespertilio. They are one of the smarter ones in this solar system and I'll probably update you guys when I draw another of this thing in their modern day n' age. So This is the final time I will be working BTS and now I'm going to draw them, finally.

This mean welcome here, and the wet parts are scent to indicate what the room is for and the vibe of the room. They respect the elder, ver very respecting, anyway that's for now. Let me think about other things. (^v^)_͡/

[unspokenmantra]

[cerebraldischarge]

Okay, but what does every single human culture have in common?

Not fire. Not a god concept. Not a soul concept. Not the wheel. Not agriculture. Not marriage (and definitely not the one-man-one-woman version of it). Not even math, unless in a very basic sense that even chimps and corvids have.

DRUGS.

Every. Single. Human. Culture. Has some sort of plant, mushroom, fermented thing, beetle, worm, berry, whatever, that is used in the community as a tool to take a break from being a person.

So no. Your suffering is not the result of an "illness" or "capitalism", it's MUCH older than both of those concepts - it's a symptom of being a sapient organism, and we have always turned to sorta-poisonous substances to deal with it, or at least take the edge off.

And the even more mind blowing thing is that our species isn't alone in this either. The smarter a species is, the more likely it is to both enjoy getting high and be capable of self-checkout.

Let your brain digest that info nugget a lil bit.

[a-dinosaur-a-day]

Is it in the best interest of humanity to prevent other species from becoming sapient or do you think we can handle peaceful co-existence with sapient non-humans?

I don't care about the best interests of humanity, I care about the best interests of the biosphere

and I know from history that us meddling with the evolution of nature either goes great (see: Native American interactions with the landscape) or terribly (see: the environmental destruction that is European Colonialism)

so I don't know if we can handle peaceful coexistence, or if more sapience would be good for the biosphere, or what have you. So, since I really don't know, my answer is we shouldn't really do much of anything. If other species become sapient, we deal with it then. If they don't, then we don't.

[milosophy]

Friendly reminder: Sapience is only exclusive to humans because that's literally what it means

Sapience is the features of conscious experience that make humans "superior" to everything else. But in reality, it's often just differences. Whales, for example, have a complex language and verbal traditions, throw parties, keep a circle of personal friends, sing songs that rise and fall in popularity, travel in family units, and even maintain long-distance relationships. These were assumed to be things unique to "sapient" creatures, but indeed, bits of sapience can be found all over the animal kingdom, along with types of culture and tradition that we have no hope of replicating.

Ants, for example, can build cities, plant and tend to crops, form socio-political hierarchies, plan and wage wars... And with one of the most complex chemical signaling systems of any animal, they can communicate and express themselves in ways we can't even fathom! It goes beyond ants and whales, too. Dolphins and orcas, octopi, elephants, parrots, crows, bats, rats, and many other animals have shown assortments of behaviors once considered unique and superior among the sapient Homo Sapiens. Who are we to judge our own superiority against these species?

Are Humans Self-Aware?

Ants have often tested humans for self awareness. They placed objects in our homes and were shocked we didn't cover them in sand.

"Although humans build interesting nests & show signs of cooperation, can they really have rich inner lives like ants? Unlikely."

They laid pheromone trails & we ignored them.

"Even a newly eclosed callow or a termite could have followed these trails! Human intelligence is perhaps similar to that of a lichen... or perhaps an aphid at best."

[theenglishnook]

Sapience means deep, reflective wisdom shaped by experience and moral insight. More than intellect, it’s the essence of human depth, found in philosophy, literature, and our very species' name.

[sshbpodcast]

Episode 73: Guinan is Better Than Troi

TNG: "The Measure of a Man" and "The Dauphin"

The ship’s bartender is proving herself more useful than the ship’s counselor in this week’s episodes. First up, she helps Picard weave through thorny legal matters when Data’s sentience is called into question in “The Measure of a Man”. Then she’s the only one giving Wes good relationship advice in “The Dauphin”.

Also this week: a lot of TOS references, scary Roddenberry, and everyone almost gets some.

Timestamps: synopses: 1:18; The Measure of a Man: 5:28; The Dauphin: 37:20

[innervoyagesthroughart]

Wisdom lovers are rare these days… let’s grow some together here and everywhere… Earth needs us … and we need us #wisdom #earth #climatechange #climate #climateaction #now #is #the #time