The Gap: The Science of What Separates Us from Other Animals - Rilegato

Suddendorf, Thomas

Rilegato

ISBN 10: 0465030149 ISBN 13: 9780465030149

Casa editrice: Basic Books, 2013

Riassunto

There exists an undeniable chasm between the capacities of humans and those of animals. Our minds have spawned civilizations and technologies that have changed the face of the Earth, whereas even our closest animal relatives sit unobtrusively in their dwindling habitats. Yet despite longstanding debates, the nature of this apparent gap has remained unclear. What exactly is the difference between our minds and theirs?In The Gap , psychologist Thomas Suddendorf provides a definitive account of the mental qualities that separate humans from other animals, as well as how these differences arose. Drawing on two decades of research on apes, children, and human evolution, he surveys the abilities most often cited as uniquely human,language, intelligence, morality, culture, theory of mind, and mental time travel,and finds that two traits account for most of the ways in which our minds appear so distinct: Namely, our open-ended ability to imagine and reflect on scenarios, and our insatiable drive to link our minds together. These two traits explain how our species was able to amplify qualities that we inherited in parallel with our animal counterparts transforming animal communication into language, memory into mental time travel, sociality into mind reading, problem solving into abstract reasoning, traditions into culture, and empathy into morality.Suddendorf concludes with the provocative suggestion that our unrivalled status may be our own creation,and that the gap is growing wider not so much because we are becoming smarter but because we are killing off our closest intelligent animal relatives.Weaving together the latest findings in animal behaviour, child development, anthropology, psychology, and neuroscience, this book will change the way we think about our place in nature. A major argument for reconsidering what makes us human, The Gap is essential reading for anyone interested in our evolutionary origins and our relationship with the rest of the animal kingdom.

Su questo libro

Recensione:

A "PUBLISHERS WEEKLY" Top 10 Fall Science Title "A rewarding, thought-provoking journey.... Mr. Suddendorf cuts an entertaining swath through a thicket of research studies on primate cognition....The author's style is not only consistently interesting and informative but at times delightfully playful.... a welcome addition to the growing literature explaining science to the intelligent layperson."--"Wall Street Journal" --The Wall Street Journal

"Beautifully written, well researched and thought provoking, "The Gap" searches for key differences between humans and the rest of the animal kingdom, and presents a balanced overview of the current status of our understanding of the mental abilities of animals. I found it fascinating and strongly recommend it to everyone who is curious as to how we have evolved to become the dominant species in the world today. Thank you, Thomas Suddendorf, for writing this book." ----Jane Goodall, PhD, DBE, Founder, The Jane Goodall Institute, and UN Messenger of Peace

"Fascinating reading... A fine example of science made accessible for general readers, combining history, personal anecdotes, clear accounts of research and a broad picture of human evolution." --Kirkus Reviews

Descrizione del libro:

A leading psychologist argues that a capacity for fiction is what separates man from beast

Su questa edizione

• Editore: Basic Books
• Data di pubblicazione: 2013
• ISBN 10: 0465030149
• ISBN 13: 9780465030149
• Rilegatura: Copertina rigida
• Numero edizione: 1
• Numero di pagine: 368