CCCXC

381. Regarding the problem of sentience and the existence of a soul. Inevitably the philosophical/theological question will be asked regarding whether or not life forms found outside the human-occupied solar system are sentient or, being so, whether or not they have a soul.

382. There is no clear-cut definition as to what sentience is, nor is there any clear-cut proof that such a thing as a soul even exists, let alone having it defined however, it is normally assumed that a being must be sentient in order to have a soul.

383. A commonly propounded test for sentience is the ability to make (that is, to invent) and use tools. This limiting definition rules out the potential for may possible forms of life; for example, disembodied sentience or beings which are not physically equipped with limbs and appendages that an deal with materials in a similar manner to homo sapiens.

384. The ability to make and use tools, it should also be noted, reduces by extrapolation the existence of a soul to terms of common engineering.

385. This test, however, when applied to any species utilizing a form of vehicular transportation, would be adequate evidence on which to base the assumption that any species encountered traveling in space would necessarily be sentient.

386. It is herein proposed that the definition of “sentient” be simplified to “self-awareness.” The sentient being, therefore, must be tested only on its ability to communicate that self-awareness.

387. When necessarily removed from a homo sapiens monotheistic theology, we may redefine “soul” as “super-self-awareness;” that is, the awareness of the self of others in relation to oneself.

388. The supra-self is that which bonds all sentient life forms into common unity.

389. Therefore, our own supra-self mandates that we acknowledge the “soularity” of all sentient life forms.

390. The price one pays for a rite of passage is to leave a part of oneself behind.

EDITOR’S NOTE: In his own round-about way, Wesley acknowledges the fact that people are very slow to recognize the humanity of others. Slavery in America, in which Africans were deemed to be not quite human, or the American push into the West that reduced vast populations of natives because they were merely animals are two examples. Wesley projects this into encounters with other living creatures on earth and into his imagined encounter with aliens. Or, perhaps Wesley had some experience with aliens. ???