Understanding Animals: Philosophy for Dog and Cat Lovers

by Lars Fredrik Händler Svendsen

How do animals perceive the world? What does it really feel like to be a cat or a dog? In Understanding Animals , Lars Svendsen investigates how humans can attempt to understand the lives of other animals. The book delves into animal communication, intelligence, self-awareness, loneliness, and grief, but most fundamentally how humans and animals can cohabit and build a form of friendship. Svendsen provides examples from many different animal species—from chimpanzees to octopus—but his main focus is on cats and the animals that many of us are closest to in our daily lives.

Drawing upon both philosophical analysis and the latest scientific discoveries, Svendsen argues that the knowledge we glean from our relationships with our pets is as valid and insightful as any scientific study of human-animal relations. With this entertaining and thought-provoking book, animal lovers and pet owners will gain a deeper understanding of what it is like to be an animal—and in turn, a human.

Genres: Nonfiction, Philosophy

208 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2018

About the author

Lars Fredrik Händler Svendsen is a Norwegian author and philosopher who is professor at the University of Bergen. He has published several books translated into 24 languages. He is also engaged as project manager in the think tank Civita. In 2008 he was awarded the Meltzer Prize for outstanding research, and in 2010 he was awarded the prisoners' Testament.

Reviews

[Kathy Fogarty · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this but I think Alain de Botton has spoiled me for philosophy writing. I found my mind wandering a little more than I like when reading. Clearly a great lover of animals and the notion of applying his philosophical knowledge to animals and how we think about them was great. I was pretty taken with the octopus chapter.

[Derya Karasu Kurşun · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okuması ve anlamlandirilmasi oldukça eğlenceli, yer yer verdiği kaynaklar konuyu derinlemesine incelemek isteyenlere yardimci olur nitelikte. Her hayvanseverin kitaplığında olmalı.

[David Risstrom · Rating 4 out of 5]

A 180 page friendly philosophical journey through some of the reasons why we don't understand other animals as well as we could. Written in a gentle discursive way by someone who, Swedishly, clearly loves both philosophy and animals Understanding Animals eases some of us towards a much needed humility that may arrive when we understand that difference doesn't necessarily connote superiority.

The book is dispersed with factual observation and discussion, rather than saturated with scientific references, which will suit different readers differently. Having read a lot of academic material in this area, at times I felt there was more to be said on some topics, but that would change its nature and readability for others.

Having lived with two beautiful and intelligence German Shepherd dogs for over 20 years, Rosa and Hannah. I am already bound to the idea that animals deserve our respect and admiration. Understanding Animals, in both the reading and application, may lead you to a similar place.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Though it was a little difficult to grasp at the beginning, by the end of the book I was wholly absorbed and absolutely fascinated. Svendsen makes philosophy easy to understand and accessible, and his work has such a great flow that it can sometimes be hard to put down (normally not the case with non-fiction!). He discusses some very interesting topics and questions here and does a wonderful job of connecting them all to his larger themes. I learned a lot from this book, which is all I can ask for from non-fiction, and it gave me a new perspective on many things. I can definitely see myself coming back to this over and over again and always gaining something new.

[Cody Bastida · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful collection of connections is how I like to think of this book. It's an easy read with many connections to other philosophical thinkers and ideas about what it means to be human. Interestingly I think this is a good basis for Transhumanist Philosophy if one wanted to go down that route.

[דריה · Rating 3 out of 5]

Premda životinje ne treba smatrati moralnim čimbenicima, one mogu pokazivati ponašanje koje je analogno moralnom ili protomoralno.

[Andrew Pitkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Starts on a great premise - can animals have capacity to be understood by humans? Do they have a language? How does one define language?

I love animal epistemology - it's such a brilliant area, considering that it's also untapped for potential. I pay close attention to my dogs, and know a lot goes on in their brains each day. They're quite vivid communicators, too.

[Alexandra_ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It had the potential to be more interesting, the writer expresses his thoughts and the main philosophical currents on animals in a clear and nice manner. However, I found it difficult to finish the book, like I was easily bored by it.