Metazoa

June 29, 2020
Godfrey-Smith (Other Minds), a University of Sydney history and philosophy of science professor, delivers a rich look at the existence of consciousness in the animal kingdom. Consciousness, he posits, is intrinsically linked to the concept of “subjective experience”—whether an animal exhibits a sense of “point of view self and other” in its “dealings with the world”—and his question is which species can be determined to have the latter trait, and which function on instinct. Godfrey-Smith doesn’t provide a simple answer, but he does argue that many more species are probably sentient than previously thought, including some insects and crustaceans, while asking how this might “change our behavior toward animals and other living things.” His evolutionary approach is rich in biological detail, such as when he compares human brains with octopuses’ distributed neural network in their brain and arms, and nicely complemented by vivid details of the animals he encounters while scuba diving, including a one-armed shrimp and a hermit crab that emits a stinging “mass of bright-orange streamers, like tiny fireworks” when approached. Godfrey-Smith’s passion both for the philosophical subject he tackles and the organisms he visits and discusses comes through clearly in his fascinating work. Agent: Sarah Chalfant, Wylie Agency.

October 1, 2020
Philosopher of science Godfrey-Smith presents a follow-up to his acclaimed book on octopus intelligence, Other Minds (2016), investigating many more animal species in search of the origins of the mind, what consciousness is, and what makes intelligence. Concentrating mainly on animals he encountered while scuba diving, Godfrey-Smith begins with what makes life?intricate structures on an almost unbelievably tiny scale?but points out that discerning whether animals have experiences as humans define the term and a sense of mind can be seen as arbitrary and subject to the observer. His aim is to make sense of why and how animals feel and experience as part of his stated commitment to an underlying unity in nature. Beginning with the protozoa, Godfrey-Smith examines increasingly complex life forms, such as sponges, corals, shrimp, octopuses, and fish. He finishes with "Fins, Legs, Wings," in which he compares the roles of land, air, and sea on the organisms that live there. With extensive notes, this combination of biology and philosophy is the perfect primer for readers interested in the science of consciousness.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)

Starred review from September 1, 2020

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