Try free for 30 days
-
Other Minds
- The Octopus and The Evolution of Intelligent Life
- Narrated by: Peter Noble
- Length: 6 hrs and 43 mins
Failed to add items
Add to basket failed.
Add to Wish List failed.
Remove from Wish List failed.
Follow podcast failed
Unfollow podcast failed
Buy Now for $21.99
No valid payment method on file.
We are sorry. We are not allowed to sell this product with the selected payment method
Publisher's 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.
What listeners say about Other Minds
Average Customer RatingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 17-06-2017
Literary science at its pinnacle
Fantastic performance reading a stunning book.
Godfrey-Smith shows his passion for the philosophy, psychology, and biology of the Cephalopods whilst communicating cutting edge science.
It is great to see communication of this content done in such an academic, yet accessible way. Very enjoyable.
Highly recommended
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 19-03-2021
A must for anyone interested in the natural world.
This was an extremely interesting tale that delved into human and animal intelligence. Along with the evolution of complex life, philosophy of consciousness and wonders of nature. And extremely concise book with up to date factual relevance.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 26-04-2023
Great first half
interesting first half, really enjoyed it and was hooked. the last couple of hours I lost interest and really struggled to stay focused and finish
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Craig P
- 07-08-2019
Excellent and entertaining.
The author shows excellent depth of knowledge of the subject. Asks good questions and provokes the next questions. He shows his bias when it comes to alternative points of view, dismissing genuine alternatives with a grunt or two. How could anyone think otherwise? ....By looking at other evidence. By not assuming evolutionary theory is beyond question. Nevertheless, he makes his case well and leaves the difficult questions to others.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Amazon Customer
- 18-06-2020
Fasinating exploration of the minds.
It was over to quickly! Loved the exploration of the theory of the minds found on this planet.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Anonymous User
- 06-02-2023
deeply curious about the underwater world now
thank you! I was getting a strange obsession about the octopus-kind, wanting to practice freediving, but also improve my understanding of nervous systems - the different ways to think and communicate.
This book was a tremendously inspiring one and I am going to revisit its chapters and take notes..
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Dominic
- 12-03-2018
Fascinating, informative, and thought provoking.
An wonderful window into the lives of cephalopods, and a fascinating study of intelligence itself.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Ryan
- 20-08-2020
A beautiful exploration of alien life
An enlightening read with equal parts science, philosophy, and beautiful prose. Absolutely recommended for anybody with an interest in evolution, sentience, or our incredible cephalopals.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
1 person found this helpful
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Kindle Customer
- 30-07-2021
Absolutely Amazing
a mind opening look into not only the evolution and conscious experience of the octopus but a look into our own minds behaviour and the effect we are having on the world.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
-
Overall
-
Performance
-
Story
- Libby Lin
- 05-06-2017
Light and Entrancing
Who knew that do much was happening in the mind of a cuttlefish or octopus? Fascinating from beginning to end. Books don't often change my perspective of the world in a tangible way - this is a rare exception. Other Minds is a loving fusion of evolution, biology and philosophy. I found Godfrey-Smith's story telling so compelling that I probably won't eat octopus again. If ever you wonder why the ocean is deserving of our moral consideration, read this book.
Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.
You voted on this review!
You reported this review!
2 people found this helpful