The Latin word meaning 'wise' or 'knowing,' used in the scientific name Homo sapiens for modern humans.
From Latin 'sapiens' (wise, discerning), derived from 'sapere' (to taste, to know). The connection between tasting and knowing reflects ancient ideas about wisdom coming from sensory experience.
When scientists named us 'Homo sapiens' in 1758, they were being optimistic—we're the 'wise human,' but recent history suggests the irony might be intentional, or at least humbling.
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