posted
I'm writing a novella right now on a man who has lived for five years with a group of blue whales in the darkest, bluest part of the ocean.
The only creatures with cerebrums larger than our own, I believe, are whales and dolphins. We know they are self-aware as they can recognize themselves in mirrors. We know they communicate. Could they be sentient?
Posts: 28 | Registered: Jun 2005
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Have you read the Uplift Saga by David Brin? Book 2 Startide Rising has great dolphin characters.
Posts: 514 | Registered: May 2005
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quote:Originally posted by johnsonweed: Have you read the Uplift Saga by David Brin? Book 2 Startide Rising has great dolphin characters.
glad I'm not the only one who thaught of those books, I'm currently reading the third one myself, but really liked Startide Rising.
Posts: 2332 | Registered: Jul 2003
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quote:We know they are self-aware as they can recognize themselves in mirrors. We know they communicate. Could they be sentient?
What do you mean by sentient? Websters dictionary defines sentient as
1 : responsive to or conscious of sense impressions.
I can't see how there would be any question that dolphins and whales are responsive to sense impressions. The evidence for that is far greater than evidence tha the are self-aware. Even animals with far smaller brains show clear evidence of sentience as defind by webster.
Given that, I must assume that you mean something else by sentience -- could you please define it.
Posts: 12591 | Registered: Jan 2000
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