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Other Minds
The Octopus and the Evolution of Intelligent Life
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?
BBC R4 Book of the Week
‘Brilliant’ Guardian
‘Fascinating and often delightful’ The Times
What if intelligent life on Earth evolved not once, but twice? The octopus is the closest we will come to meeting an intelligent alien. What can we learn from the encounter?
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Description
Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith delves deeply into the fascinating world of cephalopods, particularly the octopus, to explore what these enigmatic creatures can teach us about intelligence, consciousness, and our own place in the evolutionary tapestry. This extraordinary blend of philosophy, science, and personal adventure takes readers on a journey beneath the waves, where some of the most complex and intriguing forms of life on Earth thrive.
In Other Minds, Godfrey-Smith begins by setting a contemplative stage: What if intelligent life on Earth evolved not once, but twice? He proposes that the octopus represents the closest encounter we might have with intelligent aliens, inhabiting our very own planet. With both philosophical depth and scientific insight, Godfrey-Smith narrates the evolution of the mind from rudimentary beginnings— the erratic clusters of seaborn cells— to the sophisticated nervous systems that emerged in the ancient relatives of jellyfish.
A distinguished philosopher of science and an accomplished scuba diver, Godfrey-Smith uses his unique perspective to trace the cephalopods' incredible evolutionary journey. These creatures began as ordinary molluscs, which later shed their shells and rose above the ocean floor, developing exceptional predatory skills and achieving greater intelligence in an evolutionary path that unfolded independently from that of mammals and birds.
What makes cephalopod intelligence astounding, and how did the octopus, often a solitary and antisocial species, become one of the smartest creatures in the ocean? Godfrey-Smith explores these mysteries by examining the unique neural architectures of these creatures. Octopuses possess eight tentacles brimming with neurons, almost thinking autonomously, posing an intriguing question: What is it like to experience life with such a distributed form of intelligence? By investigating these fascinating nuances, Godfrey-Smith draws illuminating parallels between the minds of humans and our most extraordinary underwater relatives, shedding light on the very nature of intelligence and awareness.
Other Minds is a brilliant, multifaceted exploration that weaves together cutting-edge marine biology, the philosophy of mind, and personal underwater experiences, offering readers a new understanding of life and the mind's evolutionary journey. This captivating narrative promises to enthrall anyone curious about the natural world and the profound questions of consciousness within it.
Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?
Other Minds by Peter Godfrey-Smith has received praise for its profound and entrancing content, blending philosophy and science to explore cephalopod consciousness. Reviewers commend the clarity and empathy in the writing, and the book is described as both fascinating and delightful. It has been highlighted for its masterful combination of natural history and elegant prose.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9780008226299
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 08 March 2018
Country: United Kingdom
Imprint: William Collins
Illustration: 20 b/w illus, (8-page colour plate section)
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 21.0mm
Width: 129.0mm
Height: 198.0mm
Weight: 270g
Pages: 272
About the Author
Peter Godfrey-Smith is a distinguished professor of history and the philosophy of science at the University of Sydney. He is the author of five books, including the bestselling Other Minds, which was shortlisted for the 2017 Royal Society Science Book Prize and Natural Selection, which won the 2010 Lakatos Award for an outstanding work on the philosophy of science.
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Other Minds
What if intelligent life on Earth evolved not once, but twice? The octopus is the closest we will come to meeting an intelligent alien. What can we learn from the encounter? In Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a distinguished philosopher of science and a skilled scuba diver, tells a bold new story of how nature became aware of itself – a...Paperback$2100Elsewhere:$2299Unit price /UnavailableIn StockShips today -
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