• Question: Is it possible for other animals on earth (cats, dogs, birds etc) to evolve and become sentient. And if so, what would happen?

    Asked by to Edward, Ian, Mathew, Naomi, sakshisharda on 17 Jun 2014. This question was also asked by .
    • Photo: Naomi Osborne

      Naomi Osborne answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      sentience is defined as the ability to feel sensations – such as pain and fear – and have a sense of well-being. The animals that you’ve mentioned (cats, dogs and birds) are all sentient beings.

    • Photo: Ian Stephenson

      Ian Stephenson answered on 17 Jun 2014:

      there’s pretty good evidence that some other animals are “aware of their own existence”. Elephants for example can recognise themselves in mirrors (as themselves rather than just another elephant). However its hard enough to understand how other people experience the world, let alone other species.

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