If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal
What Animal Intelligence Reveals About Human Stupidity
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- $11.99
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- $11.99
Publisher Description
This funny, "extraordinary and thought-provoking" (The Wall Street Journal) book asks whether we are in fact the superior species. As it turns out, the truth is stranger—and far more interesting—than we have been led to believe.
If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal overturns everything we thought we knew about human intelligence, and asks the question: would humans be better off as narwhals? Or some other, less brainy species? There’s a good argument to be made that humans might be a less successful animal species precisely because of our amazing, complex intelligence.
All our unique gifts like language, math, and science do not make us happier or more “successful” (evolutionarily speaking) than other species. Our intelligence allowed us to split the atom, but we’ve harnessed that knowledge to make machines of war. We are uniquely susceptible to bullshit (though, cuttlefish may be the best liars in the animal kingdom); our bizarre obsession with lawns has contributed to the growing threat of climate change; we are sexually diverse like many species yet stand apart as homophobic; and discriminate among our own as if its natural, which it certainly is not. Is our intelligence more of a curse than a gift?
As scientist Justin Gregg persuasively argues, there’s an evolutionary reason why human intelligence isn’t more prevalent in the animal kingdom. Simply put, non-human animals don’t need it to be successful. And, miraculously, their success arrives without the added baggage of destroying themselves and the planet in the process. In seven mind-bending and hilarious chapters, Gregg highlights one feature seemingly unique to humans—our use of language, our rationality, our moral systems, our so-called sophisticated consciousness—and compares it to our animal brethren. Along the way, remarkable tales of animal smarts emerge, as you’ll discover:
“A dazzling, delightful read on what animal cognition can teach us about our own mental shortcomings.” —Adam Grant
The house cat who’s better at picking winning stocks than actual fund managers Elephants who love to drink Pigeons who are better than radiologists at spotting cancerous tissue Bumblebees who are geniuses at teaching each other soccer
What emerges is both demystifying and remarkable, and will change how you look at animals, humans, and the meaning of life itself.
San Francisco Chronicle bestseller • BOOKRIOT Best Books of the Year • Next Big Idea Book Club Best Science Books of the Year
“I love the book, and everyone should read it.” —Ryan Holiday
"Undeniably entertaining." —TheNew York Times
APPLE BOOKS REVIEW
Professor Justin Gregg leads us on a journey through both human and animal intellect in this provocative book. A senior research associate at the Dolphin Communication Project, Gregg puts his research and understanding of animal cognition (as well as his sardonic wit!) to work, wading into the age-old debate about what exactly it is that makes the human mind so great. For instance, does splitting the atom—and creating weapons capable of mutual annihilation—prove that our “big brains” are that much better than those of animals? We were absolutely engrossed by each of the Nietzsche-inspired topics Gregg covers, such as our talents as both liars and lie detectors, and whether our culture is better off with humans’ constructed morality, or the laws of the animal world. This smart, funny read might change the way you think about your own mind.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gregg (Are Dolphins Really Smart), a senior research associate with the Dolphin Communication Project, examines the "puzzling gulf between the way humans understand and experience the world, and the way all other animals do" in this entertaining work of pop science. He begins with a brief account of Friedrich Nietzsche's mental health decline, arguing that superior intelligence might not always be a good thing, because if the philosopher's mind had been more like that of a narwhal's, he wouldn't have suffered such despair. It's a lighthearted conceit, and it leads to an enlightening tour of animal behavior: a chapter on deception contrasts the human tendency to lie with the "tactical deception" of the male cuttlefish, which disguises itself as a female when rivals are nearby. Meanwhile, Gregg's experience as a beekeeper leads him to consider questions about whether bugs experience something similar to consciousness (they very well may, he posits), and a look at alcohol's effects on the brain gives way to the revelation that elephants can get drunk. Wonderfully accessible and charmingly narrated, this is a fascinating investigation of intellect and cognition. Budding animal scientists—or those just looking to better understand what makes humans' wild companions tick—are in for a treat.
Customer Reviews
an important message
this is a book that should be read by anyone and everyone who interacts with our fellow sentient beings in any capacity, to put our anthropocentric hubris in its proper place.