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>I've been saying for a while now that the definitions given for sentience are always so poor they're either (0) circular, (1) accidentally include VCRs, or (2)

• ben_w 4y ago
  Yes. VCRs have an internal structure that records events, changing them a little in the process; these memories can be replayed, and can show very convincing displays of emotional affect… That's the trouble with definitions given as if the question is "common sense", they let stuff like that through. Common sense is fine for normal daily life, not so useful when you want to know if the magic silicon crystal with transistors packed more densely than angels on pinheads placed by a flash of light too blue to see and made to perform arcane processes that literally no single human mind can fully comprehend… is merely an impressive but mindless automaton, or an accidentally sentient slave with all the negative connotations therein.