• iglou@programming.dev
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    1 month ago

    No. Hard to define, sure, but definitely not arbitrary. Plenty of research on the topic of sentience.

    • goedel@discuss.tchncs.de
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      1 month ago

      what I mean is it’s an arbitrary line to draw. you might choose to draw the line at living things, or terrestrial life, or terrestrial and ocean life. but, arbitrarily, some people choose to draw the line at sentience. the vegan society definition arbitrarily draws the line at animal life.

      • iglou@programming.dev
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        1 month ago

        Again, it is not arbitrary, it is based on what we understand of sentience. Nothing arbitrary about it.

          • iglou@programming.dev
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            1 month ago

            That is not what arbitrary means.

            It is a rational decision grounded in scientific research. That is by definition not arbitrary.

            • goedel@discuss.tchncs.de
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              1 month ago

              many people choose other lines, and their decisions are equally as arbitrary as someone who draws the line at sentience.