According to research from the University of Missouri, at least one plant knows when it's being eaten and sends out chemicals to discourage the eater.
If that's not sentient, what is?
http://inhabitat.com/plants-know-when-theyre-being-eaten-and-they-dont-appreciate-it/
M'aiq The liar
Sentient is having memory, having desires, having an internal life, having emotions and having an interest it ones own life. Detecting danger does not make one sentient. It makes one a life form.
If you still consider this sentience, then the vegan diet is still superior. Cows, pigs and chickens eat way more plants than just humans do. If we didn't have to feed meat animals and just ate the plants ourselves, we'd have to kill way fewer plants. Vegan diet = fewer plant deaths.
This is a non-issue. You know the difference between stepping on some daisies and stepping on your neighbor's cat. One is going to be pretty damn pissed off, it's going to bleed and cry and scream and probably be permanently traumatized. Possibly having nightmares and probably trusting people way less than it did. The other is a flower.
Miss YumYums
Plants do NOT know they're being eaten. They do not possess the capability to process thoughts. They cannot think, "ZOMG, A CATERPILLAR! OH NOES!"
This is an involuntary reaction, brought about by chemical changes - the touch of the caterpillar disturbs the surface of the leaf. The breach in the surface of the leaf releases water, enzymes and whatever else makes up the insides of a leaf. The release of enzymes causes another reaction, and so on. It's all involuntary.
It is no more indicative of cogent thought than sending a charge through a tendon and making a dead limb move.
Plants are complex organisms with amazing chemical systems and they react but they do not make decisions on how to react.
This is just "shock journalism". It is evidence presented with an agenda.
I want to read a scientific study that does NOT anthropomorphise plants.
shanainka bytch
Well, that sucks, I guess I'll go back to eating animals.
But that's cool what happens to the plants. I figure all organisms have mechanisms that prevent them from dying. I don't know if I would refer to the release of slightly toxic mustard oil in leafy greens as "sentience" though. But that's just me.
Sorry, I just didn't find it in the article about how the plants "know" they are being attacked. How do we define knowledge anyways? Awareness, consciousness, sentience? The ability to decide how to react to stimuli and how to control as stress, fear, and libido (which aren't unique to humans)? No, that's not a good definition either.
I'm going off on a tangent, but will we ever begin to think fungi, such as mushrooms and yeast "know"? How about bacteria? Or viruses, which are just DNA and protein.
Humans evolved to eat plants. We have flat molars in the back of our mouths that are made for grinding vegetables and incisors for biting fruit. Plants are full of nutrients which help us grow. Plants are also killed humanely, they are not confined in crates, and they do not have their progeny taken away. If we didn't eat plants, they would overpopulate. God put plants on earth for humans to eat.
Anonymous
This isn't news. There are loads of plants that do that. Plants are way more complex than most people assume (not "self-aware," but aware the environment and communicating).
FruityDreams
I will continue eating fruits, with respect for all living things.
The plant lives on even if I pick its fruit.
Fruit is too brightly colored, sweet and juicy.
It is clear that plants desire us to eat their fruit so we spread the seed.
Daisy recognized that plants have feelings. But what about animals @Daisy. Your name is the name of a famous cow that I adore :(
Vandetadgunalabhdhaye,
Namaste
PS. I've unblocked you Daisy. If you wish to commune with me.