Talk:Sophont
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 (e.g. an animal).
- A Sapient (= "wise cognizance") is an intelligent life form.
- A Sophont (= sophonce or higher intelligence) 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.
- --WHULorigan (talk) 11:54, 9 July 2016 (EDT)
Life Development Stages
STAGES: Non-Life → Proto-Life → Creature → Proto-Sophont → Sophont → Ascendant → Transcendant
- Non-Life
- Proto-Life (transitory stage) TL-Neg
- Creature TL-Neg (pre-technological lifeforms)
- Proto-Sophont (transitory stage) TL-0
- Sophont TL 1-27
- Ascendant (transitory stage) TL 28-33
- Transcendant TL-24+ (post-technological beings)