Talk:Native Intelligent Life
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
Notes (2016)[edit]
Note that NIL can also refer to a Sapient, not just a Sophont.
MWM makes a clear distinction (at least in T5), the difference being that Sophont has a higher threshold.
- A Sentient (= "Sensing") is a life form that is self aware (e.g. an animal).
- A Sapient is an intelligent life form.
- A Sophont is an intelligent life form that has an interstellar presence.
In other words, all Sapients/Sophonts are also Sentient by definition.
- But while all Sophonts are also Sapients, not all Sapients are Sophonts.
- So a TL-0 or TL-1 society of NILs on a world would be considered a Sapient species, but not Sophonts.
- If that same species eventually developed Jump Drive or a small STL/NAFAL ship polity (or had become members of a starfaring society and had spread out among the stars by that agency), then they would be considered Sophonts.
- The term NIL better fits the definition of Sapient.
- - WHULorigan (talk) 11:56, 9 July 2016 (EDT)
- Hi Wayne, would please write, edit, or otherwise fix the entries to reflect this better understanding?
- - Maksim-Smelchak (talk) 20:02, 9 July 2016 (EDT)