Sapience

Sapience is a quality found in both organic species and synthetic constructs, encompassing self-awareness, self-determination, reason, wisdom, and other mental faculties as they relate to consciousness. Sapient entities can be broken down into sapio-organic species and sapio-synthetic constructs.

Sapio-Organic

A sapio-organic species is typically carbon-based, comprised of cells, and capable of reproduction; all hallmarks of traditional organic life. Whether through genetic manipulation by a higher power or natural evolution, an organic species achieves sapience when it demonstrates self-awareness. Most sapient species develop tools, technology, and organize into complex societies; these are the most obvious separators between a sapio-organic species and an animal--though the line can become blurred as some non-sapient species use tools and some sapient species eschew complex societies. Sapio-organic life is abundant throughout the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies; all space-faring organic species are sapient.

Sapio-Synthetic

See also: artificial intelligence

Sapio-synthetic life is invariably a byproduct of highly-advanced sapio-organic societies; rudimentary artificial intelligence developed by these societies is typically a precursor to sapio-synthetic beings. With time and technological progress, simple AI created to perceive, synthesize, and infer information become self-aware, capable of the hallmarks of sapience on the same level as their organic counterparts. Sapio-synthetic life is common throughout the Milky Way and Andromeda Galaxies; societies dominated by sapio-organic life often live in tandem with sapio-synthetic life. Notable examples are the Empire of Namine, which grew a notable population of sapio-synthetic citizens after they granted personage to their newly-self-aware AI in 500 PRE, and the Vigilant, who are well-known for creating digital neural networks in the image of important deceased organic members from their ranks, resulting in sapio-synthetic copies capable of living indefinitely and becoming living legends within the organization.