Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas 292 | Jonathan Birch on Animal Sentience
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Oct 14, 2024 
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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Ethical Treatment of Animals
- While we anthropomorphize pets, we often ignore sentience in other animals like crabs and lobsters.
- Boiling them alive raises ethical questions, regardless of whether their reactions are instinctive reflexes or pain.
Sentience vs. Consciousness
- Instead of focusing on "consciousness", which has various interpretations, consider "sentience".
- Sentience is the ability to experience feelings and sensations, especially those with positive or negative valence.
Defining Sentience
- Sentience is the most basic layer of consciousness, focusing on valenced experiences like pain or pleasure.
- This capacity for feeling is ethically significant, requiring consideration for a being's welfare.
