From insect cognition to sentience: Exploring the edge
Catherine Macri, Martín Giurfa
Animal Sentience August 28, 2026 DOI: 10.51291/2377-7478.1949 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Commentary Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Key points | Argues that uncertainty regarding definitions and methodology should not hinder experimental investigation of insect sentience; instead, it should inspire new approaches and experimental designs to explore the diversity of conscious experience. |
Abstract
What does The Edge of Sentience tell us about insect sentience and consciousness? In this commentary, we reflect on Jonathan Birch’s framework for defining and scientifically investigating sentience in animals. We discuss the methodological challenges of studying subjective experience in evolutionary distant species, and consider trace conditioning, affective states, and neural architectures as potential windows into consciousness in insects. We argue that uncertainty, whether concerning definitions or methodology, should not prevent experimental investigation; rather it should motivate new approaches and experimental designs for exploring the diversity of conscious experience.