Droids in Star Wars

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

On another forum, there's a debate about the place of droids in Star Wars. Are they sentient/sapient? Slaves? Just wondering what others feel about it, especially since there's a lot of smart people here.

[Lt. Staplic]

It depends, it appeares as if some droids have developed sentiance (R2-D2, C-3PO) others haven't overall, I'd say the droids work for SW people the same as computers do for us. It's not really slavery, but definately servitude.

[Sionnach Glic]

It's mixed. Some (protocol droids, astromechs, etc) clearly have sapience, others (battle droids) don't.

[Deepcrush]

Agreed, seems there is a lot of room for growth for droids in SW.

[shran]

They are sentient when they don't get wiped for too long a time, something that would manifest itself first in personality quirks, then into true sapience. just look at the development of R2. C3PO is another example.

[Mikey]

It does seem that many droids are sapient - battle droids even have been known to express their opinion of a situation - but sentience comes much more rarely and only after extended periods of time. The issue of servitude may be a lively philosophical debate, but not a practical one; droids appear to be programmed or hardwired to accept the condition of service.

[Lt. Staplic]

ya, what he said.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

What's the difference between sapience and sentience?

[Sionnach Glic]

Basicaly, sentience is just the ability to experience things; something any animal can do.
Sapience is used to describe creatures that can perform higher reasoning, like humans.

Course, this leads to the famously stupid phrase that pops up in all sci-fi: "there's sentient life on that planet". What they mean is that there's sapient life on that planet.
It's also why we're called Homo Sapiens.

[Aaron]

What's the difference between sapience and sentience?

Sapience: capable of veiwing things objectively

Sentience: can only view things subjectively

[stitch626]

What's the difference between sapience and sentience?

Sapience: capable of veiwing things objectively

Sentience: can only view things subjectively

Does that mean some of my classmates are only sentient?

[Aaron]

Does that mean some of my classmates are only sentient?

Probably, along with a bunch of my relatives.

[Lt. Staplic]

and almost every high school girl.

[Sonic Glitch]

and almost every high school girl.

There are some whom I'm not even sure if they're truly cognizant, as in capable of thinking or observing anything....

[Tsukiyumi]

and almost every high school girl.

There are some whom I'm not even sure if they're truly cognizant, as in capable of thinking or observing anything....

So, not much has changed in the ten years since I quit high school?

Disturbing.