Descriptions, Reviews, etc.
Description:
A dazzling journey into the minds of animals - and what they can tell us about our own brains
Why do dogs say hello, but never goodbye?
What makes baby penguins think the first animal they see is their mother?
Why are bonobos impulsive while chimpanzees show restraint?
And what does all this tell us about how humans think?
In
The Thinking Animal, Nichola Raihani takes us on a journey into the minds of other species, revealing the extraordinary intelligence at work in the animal world. Drawing on her expertise as a Professor of Evolution and Behavior, she explores how animals navigate in space and time, how they communicate, manipulate and collaborate. She reveals how they bond with one another - and with us - and how they are being forced to adapt to a changing world.
From elephants keeping vigil over their dead to ants using an internal pedometer to map their journeys, the inner lives of animals are rich with ingenuity and complexity. But just because an animal's behavior looks familiar, doesn't mean it is being driven by the same thoughts or emotions as humans. By uncovering these differences,
The Thinking Animal challenges us to rethink what intelligence is and how it is shaped by evolution. In doing so, it offers a fresh perspective on the many thinking animals we share our planet with - and the responsibility that comes with understanding them.
Brief description:
NICHOLA RAIHANI is a Professor of Evolution & Behavior in the School of Psychology at University of Auckland and in the Department of Experimental Psychology at University College London. She co-directs the University of Auckland Behavioural Insights Exchange. Previously she held appointments at the Institute of Zoology (London, UK) and at the University of Cambridge. She is the author of the book The Social Instinct, which won the 2021 Humanists UK Voltaire Medal and the 2023 ZSL Clarivate Prize for Communicating Science.
