That debate convinced me of two things. That's the point, after all. It's also proof that the Left comprehends the mechanism of inflation perfectly. Sentience is awareness, which all animals possess to some degree.
Sapience is awareness of that awareness.
I'm not saying anything new here. Animals are genetically programmed like computers. Humans, by contrast, employ their sapience to assess what they see, hear, smell, taste, and feel, then act on that assessment, not just to insure survival, but to enhance its quality. More to the point in this context, purpose , another product of sapience, is a phenomenon as unique to humanity as rights. People are the only thing in the universe with purpose.