Inimsesse

Inimsesse is a term used in speculative philosophy and fiction to denote the so-called inner human essence or core identity that characterizes humanity. The term is not standardized across academic discourse, and its meaning varies with author and context. It is frequently invoked in discussions about personhood, moral agency, and the ethical status of humans in contrast to non-biological or artificial agents.

Definition and usage. Inimsesse is commonly described as the cluster of cognitive, affective, and reflective capacities that together form what some thinkers treat as the essential attributes of being human. These can include self-awareness, empathy, autonomy, memory continuity, and the capacity for moral reasoning. Proponents argue that the concept helps distinguish human-centered ethical considerations from those extended to machines or other life forms. Critics, however, contend that the notion is vague, culturally relative, and risks imposing a narrow, human-centric standard on debates about sentience, rights, and personhood.

In literature and media, Inimsesse serves as a narrative device to explore questions of digital personhood, cloning, and synthetic life. Stories may treat the possession or loss of Inimsesse as a criterion for rights, social belonging, or identity, while others use it to challenge assumptions about consciousness and moral status beyond biology.

Etymology is typically described as deriving from a root meaning "human" combined with a suffix signaling abstract properties, though there is no single authoritative origin and usage remains inconsistent.

See also: personhood, consciousness, moral status, animal cognition, artificial intelligence.