Sentient or Sapient?

[Noble Ire]

I've noticed that a great deal of science fiction uses the term "Sentient" when referring to thinking beings; Star Wars, Star Trek, BSG, etc. However, recently (actually, after having the seeing the point noted by Publius) I've discovered that the term "Sapient" seems to fit the general usage of the word far better: Sentient seems to mean that a being possess the ability to sense and feel, whereas Sapient means that a being possess "wisdom", more specifically, that it can actively think about and interprit those feelings.

Now, both definitions would fit humans, for example, but Sentient would also fit most higher animals, like wolves, snakes, and birds. The term Sapient would preclude most of these (unless one was somewhat generous in their personal definitions), leaving only creatures that could actually think. So I ask, am I missing something, or is the usage of the word sentient just a misnomer, perhaps something of a brainbug?

(I would have put this in SF, but I thought since it dealt with the definitions of scientific terms themselves, it would be better suited here.)

[felineki]

From my understanding of the terms (which could very well be wrong, I admit), you seem to have the right idea. Sentience simply has to do with awareness, something many animals certainly have, while sapience refers to a specific level of intelligence and reasoning.

[wolveraptor]

I would guess that "self-sentience" (synonymous with "self-aware") would be the best term to describe higher level thinking, found only in chimps and humans so far. Sapient just means "wise" according to webster: a very qualatative term, rather useless for actual scientific description.

[Executor32]

What about dolphins? I thought they were self-aware as well, with one good example being that, when given access to a mirror after they have been marked, they will turn around in front of the mirror to look at the mark.

[Boyish-Tigerlilly]

There are also various types of sentience and self awareness that I have read about. For instance, bodily self-awareness and intrapersonal self-awareness.

[Winston Blake]

I consider the term sapient better for human-like intelligence, and sentient as merely being able to feel/suffer, e.g. animals, but not plants. Sentient does have a lot of inertia behind it; outside of fandom, i remember Morpheus uses in it The Matrix when he first describes Agents.

[B5B7]

You are correct. It has become a habit to use the word sentient, but sapient would be more accurate.
Hence Homo Sapiens.
I have used the word sentient recently in some written items, where I should have used for better precision sapient, but it has been a general trend to use sentient.
Ironically many years ago I was intending to produce a fanzine called Sapient Fusion [but due to personal reasons this didn't eventuate]; so it is like one of those words that one knows, but forget you know and so don't use.
Arise sapience and sayonara sentience.

[wolveraptor]

On what basis do you say that sapient is more accurate? What English dictionary defines it that way?

[Winston Blake]

On what basis do you say that sapient is more accurate? What English dictionary defines it that way?

Neologisms often are based on the more fundamental meanings of words, typically Greek or Latin. Sapient in Latin means wise => intelligent => intelligent life => human-level intelligence.

Latin sapiens, sapient- present participle of sapere, to taste, be wise.

Sentient just means:

sen·tient
1. Having sense perception; conscious: “The living knew themselves just sentient puppets on God's stage” (T.E. Lawrence).
2. Experiencing sensation or feeling.

Latin sentins, sentient- present participle of sentre, to feel.

That 'conscious' bit might have started the whole thing, since 'consciousness' has a range of meanings.

Anyway, I think 'wise/intelligent' is a better match for 'human-level intelligence' than 'able to sense/feel'.