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Beast and Man: The Roots of Human Nature (Routledge Classics)
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Product Description
In this major work, Mary Midgley, one of our foremost intellectuals argues that humans are rather more like animals than we have previously allowed ourselves to believe.
Product Details
- Amazon Sales Rank: #174113 in Books
- Published on: 2002-07-11
- Original language: English
- Number of items: 1
- Binding: Paperback
- 416 pages
Editorial Reviews
From the Back Cover
‘This is a very important book ... Midgley has provided an urgently needed bridge between science and philosophy.’ – Iris Murdoch
Philosophers have traditionally concentrated on the qualities that make human beings different from other species. In Beast and Man, Mary Midgley, one of our foremost intellectuals, stresses continuities. What makes people tick? Largely, she asserts, the same things as animals. She tells us humans are rather more like other animals than we previously allowed ourselves to believe, and reminds us just how primitive we are in comparison to the sophistication of many animals. First published: 1978.
About the Author
Mary Midgley (1919-). A philosopher with a special interest in ethics, human nature, and science, Mary Midgley has a widespread international following for her work.
Customer Reviews
Wonderfully thoughtful look at human nature
Mary Midgley has made a career out of taking public muddles and examining them with a view to clearing up the muddle in a way which is always illuminating and often just obviously right. Here, she turns her wonderfully sharp attention to the debate between those who argue that human nature is a blank slate, completely open to shaping by the environment, and works which compare human behaviour with that of the other animals. In the process, she makes a brilliant contribution to our understanding of ourselves and our motives. This edition includes a new introduction where she points out that she has satisfied nobody in the debate. Well, I had my own disagreements at points, but I found her contribution readable, fascinating, penetrating and insightful as always. If you have any interest in what drives human beings, invest a few hours in this delightful book.
