Perhaps we are looking through rose-colored glasses, searching only for what is familiar and already considered sentient. I believe if one is truly open-minded, then fixed ideas of what constitute life and sentience must be questioned. The universe could be filled to the brim with life very unlike carbon-based organisms. I prefer the outlook of certain spiritual traditions: that this planet is a cradle for an organism to mature and transcend its limits. We have simply ventured too far into materialism and become disconnected from Nature. The entire reason we are here may not be for the outer exploration of the cosmos, but for the exploration of our inner universe. You do not need our technology for that; a healthy body is enough.
