Please give me the best possible definition of sentience.

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Sentience is the capacity to experience and perceive the world around us, and to have subjective experiences and consciousness. It is the ability to have thoughts, feelings, and perceptions, and to be aware of one's own existence and the world around us. Sentience is a complex and poorly understood phenomenon, and there is currently no consensus on what characteristics an entity would need to possess in order to be considered sentient. Some philosophers and researchers argue that sentience is closely tied to consciousness and subjective experience, while others argue that it is possible for an entity to be aware of and responsive to its environment in a way that could be considered sentient, even if it does not have consciousness or subjective experience in the same way that humans do. Ultimately, the concept of sentience is a complex and unresolved one, and it is likely that it will continue to be the subject of much debate and discussion in the fields of philosophy and neuroscience.