Does sentience come in degrees?
Animal Sentience August 3, 2026 DOI: 10.51291/2377-7478.1607 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Topics | Philosophy of mind |
| Key points | Argues that the question of whether sentience comes in degrees is central to philosophical debates, and proposes that the answer depends on the definition and measurement of consciousness, potentially distinguishing between access and phenomenal consciousness. |
Abstract
This commentary is about whether sentience, or what philosophers call “phenomenal consciousness,” comes in degrees.