Steps for sentience

what is the meaning of sentient? to me that means receiving compiling and using sensory input-so food would be a major concern. but the aspect of what food are we eating, and why and where did it come from, belongs to another aspect of thought. i consider all animals and plants to be sentient, since plants can sense warmth and cold and wet and follow what they need. as for the mineral world, i wouldnt be too sure it is not also sentient in some way we havent discovered as yet.

when did self awareness develop is a good question and i am not sure it wasnt always there-because if it developed in mankind, why not other species? when man had too much time on his hands, when leisure became common, i think a lot of changes had to occur in the type of mental activity. in the same way though, domesticated animals also have no worry about predators-in fact they have less issues to deal with than human beings, they dont even have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. so why dont they develop self awareness? how would we know if they did or did not?

i think the fact that animals vie with each other for food, territory and mates, might suggest a sense of self awareness. otherwise wouldnt everything be considered community property?

Dennett gives the simple answer that the "big step" for sentience, i.e. "self-awareness", involves the acquisition of language. For an interesting but difficult analysis of the biological origins of language see:
http://www.enolagaia.com/M78BoL.html

Were the Caveman aware of the fact they were either Neanderthaler or Homo Sapiens ? Did they mix ? Did the Homo Sapiens eat the Neanderthalers ?

I think it is practically impossible to imagine what we would have been like. I studied prehistoric anthropology at university, and it was a fascinating subject. I think the neanderthals and h. sapiens overlapped in time, in fact recently there was claim that neanderthal genes are still represented in h sapiens. I guess they would have had a strong tribal ID and many battles. (Hey, we won.) But it is hard enough figuring out what life must have seemed like 100 years ago, I don't think we can imagine the mind of early man. If you want to dig into it, there's a lot of literature around, but it is pretty hard going.

There was a great film made in 1981 by Jean Jacques Annaud, called Quest for Fire which was about a group of early tribals setting off to find the secret of fire making. A classic. Try and get hold of a copy.

if it is the ability to conceive of things in the mind for reference it could have a bearing. but language ability in itself isnt necessary...if you have ever seen a child who is not capable of language you will see he is just as sentient and self aware as all the others.

i observed my own child who was without language for five years, and the doctor told me he would never be able to use his mind at all, not imagine or think...but i saw him playing games imitating things he saw on television.

i wonder how much language can sink into a child or person who had never been exposed to it if they just watch television now and then? there was no language going on in the house either, by the way...other than music.