From the Publisher
"Scientific, political and ethical questions about sentience are complex and often mired in deep-seated uncertainty. Which animals possess consciousness? Can sentience develop in neural organoids? Does cognitive-motor disruption render someone no longer sentient? In The Edge of Sentience, philosopher Jonathan Birch delivers a nuanced analysis of these and other major quandaries—plus a set of proposals to guide neuroscientists and policymakers toward fact-based, ethically sound answers." — The Transmitter
"Edge of Sentience is a masterclass in public-facing philosophy. At each step, Birch is lucid and perfectly calibrated in the strength of his assertions. His analysis is thoughtful and circumspect, and always poised for revision. He elevates his readers. His sourcing is generous and wide-ranging. The book also takes pains to set itself up as a manual for policy, with each chapter providing a summary. Birch works hard and, in my opinion, succeeds in writing a highly topical book of deep philosophy. Any thinking person can profit from it, provided that they have a stomach for uncertainty." — Nature"Birch's ultimate message in The Edge of Sentience is that a massive shift in how we view beings with a questionable sentience status should be made. And we should ideally make this change now, rather than waiting for scientific research to infallibly determine who and what is sentient. ... It seems excruciatingly unlikely that the entire world will adopt Birch's rational, thoughtful, comprehensive plan for reducing the suffering of all potentially sentient creatures. Yet Birch ... maintains a tone of articulate, patient optimism. He clearly believes in us-he knows we can do better-and he offers to hold our hands and walk us through the steps to do so." — Ars Technica"Birch takes readers on a compelling, engaging, and at times controversial journey through the sentient life of humans, a variety of nonhuman animals, and artificial intelligence. ... With its thoughtful framework and reasoned proposals, this book is valuable for students of ethics and animal studies as well as lab researchers and policymakers engaged in fields from farming to software engineering. ... From its opening pages, The Edge of Sentience makes complex subjects and relevant ethical issues readable." — Gregory F. Tague, Leonardo"Birch is a superbly clear writer, and he's very careful to adjust his belief according to the evidence. ... He bases everything that he writes on the available science and sound reasoning from the best data we have. He's one of the most interesting public philosophers around today because of his willingness to engage with ideas which have a very broad interest across the world." — Nigel Warburton, Five Books, The best philosophy books of 2024"This is a wonderfully informative work of science and philosophy writing, even to readers who are already well-versed in the issues discussed. Birch's writing is engaging, earnest and easy to follow, with flashes of wit and style ... this book is not intended to sit on shelves. It is intended to have an exploitable use-value, to be a tool for bending the arc of history towards justice." — 3 Quarks Daily"In this important and timely book, Birch (London School of Economics) offers a comprehensive study of the many ways that sentient beings, those who can experience pleasure and pain, might suffer, sometimes terribly, at the hands of people who are ignorant of or indifferent to such a possibility in their subjects. Birch's book is highly researched, with over 100 pages of references, including 27 documenting his wide-ranging research in ethics, biology, and cognitive science." — S. A. Mason, Choice