Talk:Sophont
Revision as of 15:54, 9 July 2016 by WHULorigan (talk | contribs) (Created page with "==Notes 2016== '''MWM''' makes a clear distinction among the following terms (at least in T5): * A '''''Sentient''''' (= "Sensing") is a life form that is self awar...")
Notes 2016
MWM makes a clear distinction among the following terms (at least in T5):
- A Sentient (= "Sensing") is a life form that is self aware (i.e 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 TL0 or TL1 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.
- --WHULorigan (talk) 11:54, 9 July 2016 (EDT)