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Other Minds
- The Octopus and The Evolution of Intelligent Life
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
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Other Minds
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Summary
A philosopher dons a wet suit and journeys into the depths of consciousness.
Peter Godfrey-Smith is a leading philosopher of science. He is also a scuba diver whose underwater videos of warring octopuses have attracted wide notice. In this audiobook he brings his parallel careers together to tell a bold new story of how nature became aware of itself.
Mammals and birds are widely seen as the smartest creatures on earth. But one other branch of the tree of life has also sprouted surprising intelligence: the cephalopods, consisting of the squid, the cuttlefish, and above all the octopus. New research shows that these marvellous creatures display remarkable gifts.
What does it mean that intelligence on Earth has evolved not once but twice? And that the mind of the octopus is nonetheless so different from our own? Combining science and philosophy with firsthand accounts of his cephalopod encounters, Godfrey-Smith shows how primitive organisms bobbing in the ocean began sending signals to each other and how these early forms of communication gave rise to the advanced nervous systems that permit cephalopods to change colours and human beings to speak.
By tracing the problem of consciousness back to its roots and comparing the human brain to its most alien and perhaps most remarkable animal relative, Godfrey-Smith's Other Minds sheds new light on one of our most abiding mysteries.
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- bella
- 21-04-19
fascinating
really loved this fascinating story , octopus building social housing and urban development.
narrator equally excellent.
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- Jane Chester
- 16-12-19
Exceptional listen.
Unexpectedly marvellous!
This was a random choice for me and it was fantastic, really clear narration helpful, the author sets out each chapter to explain the incredible evolution under the sea.
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- Amazon Customer
- 17-04-20
loved the audiobook!
the audiobook was read in such a calm and not at all monotone voice. The book is well written and made me think about topic about our everyday lives although the book was about octopuses. It's a great book to listen if you are interested in philosophy and the evolution of life.
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- Radio Hydrogen
- 24-10-22
Mind expanding science using measured language
I love this book. It is engaging ,and in a sober scientific way, still manages to deliver a delicious spook factor, demonstrating that Science and Reality will always be more fantastic than superstition and fiction. The language is accessible, the narrator is a good disembodied guide, and the content mind-blowing. I have always wanted to meet aliens, this book is the next best thing.
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- Goronwy-Wyn
- 29-10-20
My absolute favourite sub sea creatures!
Like the author I've wasted tanks of air interacting with Octopus, Squid and Giant Cuttlefish, I admit though my understanding is a fraction of his, that he imparts through this book and my love of our undersea evolutionary cousins has only grown.
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- Alice Booth
- 12-10-20
Loved it!
Exceptional. My only criticism is that I really love calamari and octopus and I don't think i ever be able to eat them again!
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- papapownall
- 01-02-21
The philosophy of octopuses
This extraordinary book covers evolution, philosophy and octopuses. Lots of octopuses. In fact anything and everything that anyone could ever possibly want to know about octopuses. Which is no surprise when you learn that Australian author Professor Peter Godfrey-Smith is an expert on octupuses, as well as specialising on the philosophy of biology and the evolution of consciousness. It is safe to say that there is probably no one who has sort to combine these fields to such an extent as the good professor and that is what makes this book unique.
We learn that octopuses are so malleable they can fit their whole body through their own eye socket. They are devious little cephalopods too and, when left in a bucket in the corner of a laboratory they can tell whether someone is in the room and even distinguish between different people seemingly taking a liking to some but not others who they squirt in the eye with their black ink.
It would seem that nervous systems, and consequentially intelligence, is not proportional to life span as our eight legged friends only live relatively short lives. The question posed but not answered by Professor Godfrey-Smith is why. There is seemingly a lot we are yet to understand about octopuses.
When you dive into the sea, you dive into life. And don't get him started on cuttlefish as that could easily be the subject of a whole new book.
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- Si Harris
- 02-04-21
Amazing insight into another world
Superb engaging and thought provoking. The author combines experience with science to take you on a journey to the world of cephelopods but more importantly how the environment dictates life
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- Tim
- 30-01-21
Compelling book
I should start by saying that I liked this book and that it was very interesting. It feels at times like the book is a bit all over the place but in a way that is its charm. It is basically lots of interesting and well presented facts about octopuses, cuttlefish and the evolution of the mind interspersed with anecdotes from the authors experience of being around these fascinating creatures.
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- CM
- 26-05-18
Thought provoking and broud
This was a really interesting blend of biology and philosophy. I learnt quite a bit about both and my empathy for octopuses and cuttle fishes has got a boost.
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