AdShea comments on Harry Potter and the Methods of Rationality discussion thread, part 4 - Less Wrong

3 Post author: gjm 07 October 2010 09:12PM

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Comment author: AdShea 19 October 2010 02:04:16AM 2 points [-]

I think you're looking for the difference between Sentient and Sapient. The problem is that they are often conflated to make an awful mess of things.

Comment author: PhilGoetz 19 October 2010 04:43:22PM *  -2 points [-]

Sapient means "wise". Most people are not sapient.

Curious why people voted this down. It is correct. Please comment. Note that people don't have a good feeling for what "sapient" means; it is preferred over "wise" only when people wish to be obscure. And using your species name as your criterion for having moral standing is rigging the game.

In any case, I am not looking for the difference between sentient and sapient. The Harry Potter chapter I'm responding to said -

"SNAKES ARE SENTIENT?"