Talk:Alp/@comment-213.119.32.191-20141119154601/@comment-25035274-20141119185140

"...our survival instinct merely makes sure we remain alive long enough to reproduce as much as possible."

And that's exactly what I was getting at. Ultimately, everything we (and Mamono) do is, on an instinctual level, based on sex, reproduction, and/or the propogation and continuation of our genes (barring the rare exception of a truly asexual (or rather non-sexual) person, which ultimately is an evolutionary dead-end, literally).

Your soldier, who fights for home and country? It's ultimately based on the continuation of his genetic line, if you delve deep into his reptilian brain, past all the gobbledy-gook that we call ethics and morals. He fights because if he doesn't, his way of life may be endangered. If his way of life is endangered, he is endangered. If he is endangered, his genetic legacy is endangered. He usually has higher, more lofty reasons in the higher parts of his brain, yes. But at the reptilian level, that's where it's coming from.

But back to your original point of discussion, again yes. Mamono do have free will/sentience. The fact that they place a high priority on sex does not change that fact. The fact that they have strong instincts does not change that fact.

I've argued this point from the philosophical angle numerous times in the past. Those arguments are scattered all over the assorted article comments, so I won't repost every single thing I've said on the subject. I will, however, cut through the entire mess with one simple, practical statement of fact:

The creator of the series, Kenkou Cross, has directly defined them as sentient, willful beings. As the creator of the series has defined them as such, that is what they are. No amount of real-world logic trumps the world-logic as set forth by the series creator. No matter what logical flaws you find in his world setting, it is still his world setting. He is the next best thing to God when it comes to his world setting, and in his world setting, his word is law.

The Mamono DO have free will and they ARE sentient.

EDIT: I can, and have, argued this from the philosophical stand-point as well, but I don't have a solid three or four hours for a back and forth today, so this's the best you're gettin' out of me today. :-p