A formula to calculate the ability of an object to feel

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We define sentience in an object as the ability to feel pleasure and pain. Sentience is, at least, among the things that are considered morally relevant [1]. There are several ways to recognize sentience in an object [2]. The following formula tries to represent a system of calculation of this capacity (S).

Where:

S is the capacity to feel of an object.

K₁, K₂ and K₃ are the relative weights (or importance) that we assign to different groups of criteria to recognize sentience. Its sum must give 1. Each weight K corresponds to a set of criteria to recognize sentience. This formula contemplates three groups of criteria:

K₁ is the importance we give to theories about sentience (T)

K₂ is the importance we attach to likeness, resemblance or closeness (L)

K₃ is the importance we give to the best possible explanation (E)

In the first two groups there are several criteria, since there are several theories about sentience, as well as various forms of similarity. Therefore, in the first two groups we take into account the Confidence we have in each criterion (C): Confidence in a Theory (CT) and Confidence in the Likeness (CL), together with the Prediction (P) that makes that criterion: The Prediction of a Theory (PT) and the Prediction of a Likeness Criteria (PL).

The third group of criteria has only one criterion, so only the prediction of that criterion of “the best possible explanation” (PE) appears next to K₃.

In the formula, all variables have a value between 0 and 1, both inclusive.

The variable we are calculating, S (the capacity to feel of an object) can be interpreted in at least the following ways:

S₁: We assume that an object can feel or not, being sentience a binary variable that can only take two values (0 – “False”; 1 – “True”) and here we are calculating the probability that the object feels something, it doesn’t matter if it’s a lot or a little.
S₂: It is considered that the ability to feel has infinite graduations, from 0 – “Do not feel anything”; until 1 – “Maximum capacity to feel”, passing through values such as 0.000344823 or the value 0.892478544, 0 being no sentience and 1 being the maximum possible value of capacity to feel, and here we are calculating said capacity to feel .
S₃: A combination of both, understanding that S₁ represents the probability that the calculation of S₂ is true, so that S_{3 =}S₁S₂. In this way S₃ represents the relevance of the sentience of said object.

Let’s now look at each of the three criteria groups.

First group: Theories about sentience (T)

The first of the summations refers to different theories about sentience and the confidence we have in each of them. This part of the formula makes the sum of the product of the trust or Confidence that we have in a Theory (CT) by the Prediction made by that theory (PT).

The list of theories can be as extensive as we want. In this version of the formula we will consider four possible theories: Panpsychism [3] (PAN), Emergentism [4] (EME), Functionalism [5] and Platonism [6] (PLA). This first summation block combines the product of confidence (C) in said theory with the prediction (P) that said theory makes about the sentience of that object. In our case, with these four theories about sentience, we have:

Second group: similarity, proximity or Likeness (L)

The second of the summations refers to different criteria of similarity or closeness that are indicative of ability to feel. We refer to the closeness with respect to a being for which we have confidence in its sentience; fundamentally, closeness to oneself. This part of the formula makes the sum of the product of the trust or Confidence that we have in a Likeness criterion (CL) by the Prediction that makes that Likeness criterion (PL).

As similarity or proximity criteria are proposed: appearance (APP), behaviour (BEH), evolutionary origin (EVO), genetic proximity (GEN) and evolutionary utility (UTI).

This second summation block combines the product of the trust or Confidence (C) in said criterion of Likeness with the prediction (P) that said criterion makes about the sentience of that object.

Third group: the best Explanation (E)

In this block there is only one criterion, so no summation is necessary. In this block is considered the Prediction made by the criterion of “the best possible explanation”.

Paradigmatic examples of use of the formula

When someone says that a rock cannot feel because it is not alive, they are using a theory about sentience.
When someone says that a plant cannot feel because it has no brain, they are using a theory of sentience.
When someone says that a robot cannot feel because it is made of metal and plastic, they are using a theory of sentience.
If our favorite theory of sentience says that sentience has an effect on matter, since sentience is useful, then this means that, in at least some cases, matter does not behave according to the laws of physics, since that it is affected by something that is not material, and that something is experiences. Therefore we should be able to detect those changes in matter that are produced by something non-material.

How to calculate the weights of the formula

Since we can hardly make predictions, we must have special emphasis on the foundations of the scientific method or foundations of the method that allows us to obtain reliable evidence. We must be especially careful in honesty, fairness and skepticism.

Is the formula used to calculate the capacity of not feeling?

The formula offers positive, not negative, predictions. We can have evidence that something feels, but we cannot have evidence that something does not feel, due to the the streetlight effect.

What is the confidence in the prediction given by the formula?