Are other animals sentient beings?

[The Joker]

Or is it just the human race?

[mrmcdonaldduck]

Some animals are sentinent beings, i beleive there are 4 non humans that are sentinent. Chimps, Apes, Elephants and orangutangs.

[PJay]

I am not even sure about some people. But seriously I think anything that can have a personality must be, so yes for dogs and cats in my experience.



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[jason93]

Dogs have a personality.

[steve1234]

I definatly agree that dogs have a personality. Obviously not as strong as chimps, apes etc, but many dogs have unique personalities.

[ZodiacKiller]

All animals are sentient. The only reason we consider otherwise is so we dissocociate with them as we destroy bothe them and their habitats.

[Azunite]

Animals don't have a mind: They only live to feed themselves and have sex.
When we do something bad, like hurting them, they understand that they are beaten so they cry.
When you give food to them they are happy because "Oi boy, I dont have to go to that garbage site ! "
They don't have feelings ımo

[Vonn]

Animals don't have a mind: They only live to feed themselves and have sex.
When we do something bad, like hurting them, they understand that they are beaten so they cry.
When you give food to them they are happy because "Oi boy, I dont have to go to that garbage site ! "
They don't have feelings ımo

If they don't have a mind, then they can't think "Oi boy, I dont have to go to that garbage site!"

I believe animals do have a mind. Not as smart as humans (or smart enough to act like it), but animals don't have to think like humans to have a mind.

[The Dark Lord]

Animals don't have a mind: They only live to feed themselves and have sex.
When we do something bad, like hurting them, they understand that they are beaten so they cry.
When you give food to them they are happy because "Oi boy, I dont have to go to that garbage site ! "
They don't have feelings ımo

if they don't have a mind or feelings how can they feel happiness?

[nick]

I find this a difficult question. My understanding is that whales and dolphins are able to communicate over vast distances in some cases. Dolphins also seem to enjoy human company. Elephants, and some other animals, appear to show grief.

Many domestic animals also have extraodinary extra senses that we certainly dont have. Our dog used to run and sit by the front door when my grandparents came to visit, about 2 or 3 minutes before they actually arrived. Cats always know when you are not feeling well or upset about something and will come and sit on you on those occasions.

[Azunite]

if they don't have a mind or feelings how can they feel happiness?

They have simple feelings, only happiness and sadness...
They DO have telepathic senses, but thats off-topic

[ZodiacKiller]

kk... this is much deeper than we are considering it. It has to do with what we consider thinking and conciousness... essentially it invades religous beleifs.

For example, animals physically are the same mentally to humans. Our brains work the same way, ours are just bigger and more developed.

However, the essential debate is over a soul, I beleive. I don't beleive in them, so i beleive we are equal.

I only wrote this in like 2 mins so argument for my statements is absent... ill probably provide it l8r though.

[huginnmuninn]

i think it depends on how complex the animals brains are, some animals have highly complex brains so i consider them sentient but some animals have no brains so they arent sentient. it depends on the type of animal

[Spreadingwings]

i believe that they are all sentient.

[PJay]

I just thought, there are gorillas they've taught sign language to and the one i'm thinking of wanted a pet cat (which it got and looked after!) - if you can have an actual conversation with it about its wants and needs, that seems pretty sentient to me.

just googled gorilla pet cat and found this (http://ask.yahoo.com/20000905.htm)

[Sith Lord 13]

It all comes down to your definition of sentience. Limiting to the clearly observable world (sorry microbes) I'd say most species of larger animals (read: bigger than a bug) show sentience. If we accept that all humans show sentience, then all dogs do as well, as an adult dog clearly has more sentience than a newborn.

Dog is used as an example there, you can substitute a large number of animals and it will work.

[The Madman]

One word : DOLPHINS.

They hold conversations with each other under water through whistles and clicks.
Dolphins can mimic human speech. They understand what the word means.

[Suicune]

I do believe they are sentient, most anyway. Dolphins, Whales, Dogs, Cats, Primates, Elephants, and so on.
My dogs show sadness when my parents are gone away too long. My cats are the same way. Same with happiness, they go insane when they see somebody they know, or when you say a word that they've grown to recognize.