If Nietzsche were a narwhal : what animal intelligence reveals about human stupidity / Justin Gregg.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Gregg, Justin, author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Animal intelligence.

Intellect.

Physical Description:

308 pages ; 25 cm

Edition:

First edition.

Place of Publication:

New York : Little Brown & Company, 2022

Summary:

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-- Source other than the Library of Congress.

Contents:

Introduction

The why specialists: a story of hats, bets, and chicken butts

To be honest: the power and pitfalls of lying

Death wisdom: the downside of knowing the future

The gay albatross around our necks: the problems with human morality

The mystery of the happy bee: it's time to talk about the "c" word

Prognostic myopia: our shortsighted farsightedness

Human exceptionalism: are we winning?

Epilogue: Why save a slug?

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages 269-291) and index.

ISBN:

9780316388061

0316388068

OCLC:

1313483158