Asimov Press What It's Like To Be A Worm
Feb 1, 2026
A deep dive into how scientists probe sentience in tiny creatures and machines. They trace historical ideas from Darwin to modern connectomics. The talk tackles controversies over worm and insect awareness, the limits of behavioral evidence, and why neural wiring and valence matter. It highlights technical hurdles, competing brain theories, and the high moral stakes of deciding who can feel.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Darwin's Worm Experiments
- Charles Darwin studied earthworms and inferred they enjoyed eating and had attention shifts indicating 'mind'.
- Darwin used simple experiments like offering raw vs roasted meat to probe worm preferences.
Sentience Is Consciousness Plus Valence
- Borderline sentience mixes consciousness (subjective perspective) and valence (pleasure or pain).
- Advances like fMRI and connectomics now let us correlate neural patterns with conscious states.
Valence Drives Moral Weight
- Not all conscious states are valenced; some experiences may be neutral or minimal.
- Valence matters ethically because many decisions aim to maximize pleasure and minimize suffering.
