I agree with you on cats and dogs (and, in my opinion, cetaceans) probably being sentient. Just like humans, some are smarter than others. The dog I grew up definitely had a sense of humour, one that tended towards the teasing. For example, when my sister was about 8 her friend, who was afraid of dogs, used to walk down the street to visit. Our dog often jumped out from between the bushes, landing within a metre of the girl and scaring her half to death. The dog didn't do anything after that though, she just wagged her tail and greeted her. And my sister's friend was the *only* person she did this to. I can't think of many better tests of self-awareness than a sense of humour.
I think there's big difference between the Logan's Run scenario (which I admit I just googled) and carefully controlled, or technically illegal but sometimes condoned, euthanasia. I think quantity of life needs to be balanced against its quality; where the quality of a patient's remaining life is certain to be minimal and no other palliative care will be effective, a *communal* decision to end the suffering by shortening the life might be taken. I don't agree with any unilateral decisions on this, not even by the patient themselves - I think that even a 'do not resuscitate' order should be discussed with and countersigned by the patient's doctor (I don't know whether or not this is currently required).
I think there's big difference between the Logan's Run scenario (which I admit I just googled) and carefully controlled, or technically illegal but sometimes condoned, euthanasia. I think quantity of life needs to be balanced against its quality; where the quality of a patient's remaining life is certain to be minimal and no other palliative care will be effective, a *communal* decision to end the suffering by shortening the life might be taken. I don't agree with any unilateral decisions on this, not even by the patient themselves - I think that even a 'do not resuscitate' order should be discussed with and countersigned by the patient's doctor (I don't know whether or not this is currently required).
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