Sentience

1630s, "capable of feeling," from Latin sentientem (nominative sentiens) "feeling," present participle of sentire "to feel" (see sense (n.)).
In the introduction to his insightful inaugural editorial, Harnad (2016) asks, "What does it mean to 'have a mind'?" His answer, in part a response to Descartes, is that it "feels like something to think ... or to be in any other mental state," and that therefore, "Mental states are felt states, and to have a mind means to have the capacity to feel. In a word: sentience" (Harnad, 2016, p. 3, emphasis in original).https://www.wellbeingintlstudiesrepository.org/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1108&context=animsent
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▬» Sentience is the ability to perceive one's environment, and experience sensations such as pain and suffering, or pleasure and comfort. »
— Animals, Ethics and Trade – The Challenge of Animal Sentience (2006) ed Turner, J and D'Silva, J, Earthscan, London
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See related: Consciousness; Consciety.
Category:Experience