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Science Fiction
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"Science fiction writers, I am sorry to say, really do not know anything. We can't talk about science, because our knowledge of it is limited and unofficial, and usually our fiction is dreadful."
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![]() As far as I know, the first instance of this term in science fiction.
The word has been in use since the 1400's, so it's not a unique construction. It is used in science fiction to show that an alien is the equal of humans, or homo sapiens (the same root word), in their capacity for thought, wisdom and discernment.
For science fiction fans, a pivotal use is found in the 1962 novel Little Fuzzy, a likable (and Hugo award-nominated) tale by H. Beam Piper. In the story, the legal question of whether or not a corporation effectively owns a planet is decided by whether or not the planet has an indigenous species that shows sapience. If the planet has a sapient species, then they "own" the planet.
“What the hell do they want for proof of sapience?” Gerd demanded. “Nuclear energy and contragravity and hyperdrive?”
“They will have a nice, neat, pedantic definition of sapience, tailored especially to exclude the Fuzzies, and they will present it in court and try to get it accepted, and it’s up to us to guess in advance what that will be, and have a refutation of it ready, and also a definition of our own.”
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Science Fiction
Timeline
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'Nanny is different,' Tom Fields murmured... 'she's not like a machine. She's like a person.'
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'We made a crude , small cell and were delighted - and, I admit, somewhat surprised - to find it worked.'
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'...we've promised him a generous pension from the royalties.'
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'We want to do something to help those who are suffering from tooth loss or absence,' said lead researcher Katsu Takahashi.
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