Galactic Sentience Classification System

In the universe of Whispers from the Imperial Cage, the Intergalactic Council (IGC) employs a standardized classification system for evaluating cognitive capacity across species. This system differs from Earth's scientific definitions and is used throughout galactic society for legal, commercial, and social purposes.

IGC Cognitive Classification Levels:

Level 1 - Basic Sentience: Capacity for sensory perception and emotional response. Includes most animal life forms capable of feeling pain, pleasure, and basic emotions.

Level 2 - Reactive Intelligence: Demonstrates problem-solving abilities, learning from experience, and complex social behaviors. Many Earth mammals, some avian species, and certain marine life.

Level 3 - Adaptive Cognition: Shows abstract thinking, tool use, basic communication, and environmental manipulation. Includes dolphins, great apes, and some cephalopods.

Level 4 - Standard Sentience: Possesses self-awareness, complex language, mathematical reasoning, and cultural development. This is the minimum threshold for legal recognition as a "person" under galactic law.

Level 5 - Enhanced Sentience: Advanced cognitive abilities including meta-cognition, theoretical physics comprehension, multi-dimensional thinking, and species-wide coordination capabilities.

Human Classification Controversy:

Humans present a unique challenge to this system. While some individuals test at Level 4 (Standard Sentience), others score only at Level 2 or 3, leading to the controversial practice of individual cognitive assessment rather than species-wide classification. This discrepancy has been exploited by various galactic entities to justify differential treatment of humans.

The Imperial classification system tends to be more restrictive, often requiring Level 4+ certification for full citizenship rights, while some progressive sectors recognize cognitive potential rather than current testing results.

Note: When characters in these stories use the term "sentient," they are typically referring to Level 4 Standard Sentience or above, unless otherwise specified.