We are quite familiar with the idea that we are not the only ones experiencing our world with cares, fears, desires, and love. We see this reflected in film, traditions, social norms, and most commonly in our homes with our companion animals. Instead, the complexity we face today is granting the same sentiments we give to our companion animals, and often even wild animals, to those who may be on our dinner plate.
Do Animals Have Sentience?
Have you ever wondered what your dog or cat was thinking? Many
people consider their companion animals to possess distinct
qualities similar to their human peers. For instance, you may
believe your cat has an introverted personality when compared to
another cat whom you perceive to be outgoing and friendly towards
all. For many, these distinctive personality traits may even extend
to their pet snakes, fish, mice, or tarantulas. Nonetheless,
whatever traits you recognize within your companion animal, you
cherish and value them for their one-of-a-kind characteristics.
But what about the millions of other animals? What are they
thinking? For instance, what about the animals which often serve our
human uses? The obvious difference between our companion animals,
compared to wild or farmed animals, is simply the amount of time we
intimately spend with them. We take the time and intention to seek
out our companion animals’ unique qualities, as we often view them
as a part of our family.
It is easy to refrain from associating the same qualities we see in
our cats and dogs with those of the animals we consume or use for
experimental purposes. Yet we cannot deny that nearly all animals
have the capacity to feel strong negative and positive emotions,
possess unique personality traits, and understand the world around
them in ways we may never understand.
What Is Animal Sentience?
Animal sentience is defined as an animal’s ability to feel emotions
such as joy, pleasure, pain, and fear. While some organisms can
simply experience biological harm to their anatomy and
functionality, sentient beings experience the additional harm of
undergoing pain and suffering, which matters to them. Furthermore,
the experience of these feelings often shapes an animal’s
preferences and desires, leading to the development of unique
personality traits.
It’s important to differentiate cognition from sentience to better
understand what the experience of sentience entails. Cognition
refers to the mental processes that produce perceptions, memories,
learning, computational skills, expectations, and similar faculties.
Cognition helps animals evolve to deal with their external world in
better ways, while sentience helps animals understand and improve
their internal environment. In most cases, animals possess certain
degrees of both sentience and cognition, leading to a unique and
often misunderstood experience of life.
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