God could have created a world with no suffering by having no
sentience; hence, there would be no choice for evil, no possibility of self-destruction, no opportunity to choose or reject relationship.
But, by the end of the first season, beautiful android Dolores (Evan Rachel Wood) has broken free from her programming and gained
sentience, executing the park's mad genius, Ford (Anthony Hopkins), in full view of his fellow humans.
Her ideas were included in the new Animal Welfare (Sentencing and Recognition of
Sentience) Bill, published in December 2017.
We have increased the maximum sentence for animal cruelty from six months to five years, recognised animal
sentience in law, and made CCTV mandatory in slaughterhouses to enforce proper standards.
In September the Conservative government hit back at criticism after MPs - including Plymouth's Johnny Mercer - voted to reject the inclusion of EU laws recognising animal
sentience into theEU withdrawal bill.
"We'll be examining how important EU principles are, such as the precautionary approach and animal
sentience (the feelings and emotions of animals), and considering if and how these should be retained.
That's the view of the huntin' n'shootin' fraternity, as consultation ends today on Michael Gove's Animal Welfare Bill bestowing "
sentience" on our feathered and furry friends.
The Cabinet Secretary added: "Our position on
sentience has been very clear.
Gove was presenting a draft law that would enshrine the concept of animal
sentience into British law and introduce new jail sentences for animal abusers."Britain outside the European Union can have higher standards on the environment and indeed on animal welfare,"he said.
Attribution of
sentience to animals may also affect human-animal relationships and attitudes toward animals.
Michelle Thew, chief of Cruelty Free International, said: "It is not good enough for the Government to say animal
sentience is covered by the UK Animal Welfare Act - the fact is, it isn't.
So if human beings have souls, they must be more about
sentience than consciousness.
