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Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

292 | Jonathan Birch on Animal Sentience

Oct 14, 2024
01:10:42
Snipd AI
Join Jonathan Birch, a Professor at the LSE and author of "The Edge of Sentience," as he dives into the intriguing world of animal sentience. He discusses the critical differences between consciousness and sentience, shedding light on how various creatures experience emotions. Birch challenges traditional views on animal welfare, addressing the ethics of practices like boiling crustaceans alive. With insights into anticipatory reasoning in animals and recent scientific declarations on sentience, this conversation highlights our ethical responsibilities towards non-human beings.
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Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • Sentience, defined as the capacity for valenced experiences, serves as a clearer ethical framework for how we treat living beings.
  • Behavioral and neurological evidence from various species reveals complex decision-making processes, suggesting a broader range of sentient candidates.

Deep dives

The Concept of Sentience

Sentience refers to the capacity for valenced experiences, such as feelings of pain and pleasure, distinguishing it from the more ambiguous concept of consciousness. Unlike consciousness, which has various interpretations and associations with self-awareness, sentience provides a clearer framework for understanding the ethical implications of how we treat living beings. The discussion emphasizes the importance of recognizing which animals may possess this quality, thereby informing our moral responsibilities towards them. This concept moves the conversation from vague ideas about consciousness to more concrete ethical considerations regarding sentient beings.

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