sapient

Sapient is an adjective describing beings or minds capable of wisdom, reflective judgment, and advanced, abstract thought. In English, it is often paired with intelligence and, in some contexts, with sentience. The word derives from the Latin sapient-, from sapere, meaning to taste, know, or be wise; sapience is the corresponding noun.

In philosophy and cognitive science, sapience refers to a high level of cognitive function that enables complex reasoning, long-term planning, and moral or prudential judgment. It is commonly distinguished from mere intelligence (problem-solving and learning ability) and from sentience (the capacity to have sensations and feelings). In many discussions, humans are described as sapient beings, and debates about other species or artificial systems often center on whether they possess sapience as well as intelligence.

In popular usage and science fiction, sapience is used to denote beings with not only advanced cognition but also a sense of moral agency and self-awareness. This contrasts with non-sapient organisms or artificial systems that may process information but lack wisdom or self-directed judgment. In debates about artificial intelligence, sapience is sometimes invoked to discuss the difference between functioning AI and true, human-like wisdom or understanding.

See also: sentience, consciousness, intelligence, moral agency.