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Books > Social sciences > Sociology, social studies > Social issues > Animals & society > General
Humans are primates, and our closest relatives are the other African apes - chimpanzees closest of all. With the mapping of the human genome, and that of the chimp, a direct comparison of the differences between the two, letter by letter along the billions of As, Gs, Cs, and Ts of the DNA code, has led to the widely vaunted claim that we differ from chimps by a mere 1.6% of our genetic code. A mere hair's breadth genetically! To a rather older tradition of anthropomorphizing chimps, trying to get them to speak, dressing them up for 'tea parties', was added the stamp of genetic confirmation. It also began an international race to find that handful of genes that make up the difference - the genes that make us uniquely human. But what does that 1.6% really mean? And should it really lead us to consider extending limited human rights to chimps, as some have suggested? Are we, after all, just chimps with a few genetic tweaks? Is our language and our technology just an extension of the grunts and ant-collecting sticks of chimps? In this book, Jeremy Taylor sketches the picture that is emerging from cutting edge research in genetics, animal behaviour, and other fields. The indications are that the so-called 1.6% is much larger and leads to profound differences between the two species. We shared a common ancestor with chimps some 6-7 million years ago, but we humans have been racing away ever since. One in ten of our genes, says Taylor, has undergone evolution in the past 40,000 years! Some of the changes that happened since we split from chimpanzees are to genes that control the way whole orchestras of other genes are switched on and off, and where. Taylor shows, using studies of certain genes now associated with speech and with brain development and activity, that the story looks to be much more complicated than we first thought. This rapidly changing and exciting field has recently discovered a host of genetic mechanisms that make us different from other apes. As Taylor points out, for too long we have let our sentimentality for chimps get in the way of our understanding. Chimps use tools, but so do crows. Certainly chimps are our closest genetic relatives. But relatively small differences in genetic code can lead to profound differences in cognition and behaviour. Our abilities give us the responsibility to protect and preserve the natural world, including endangered primates. But for the purposes of human society and human concepts such as rights, let's not pretend that chimps are humans uneducated and undressed. We've changed a lot in those 12 million years.
NOW IN PAPERBACK A true story that reads like a mystery.--Tony
Hillerman A suspenseful page-turner and a tale of true
courage.
This pioneering work collects an amazing assemblage of court cases in which animals have been named as defendants--chickens, rats, field mice, bees, gnats, and (in 34 recorded instances) pigs, among others-- providing insight into such modern issues as animal rights, capital punishment, and social and criminal theory. Evans suggests an intriguing distinction between trials of specific animals or particular crimes, such as the "murder" of an infant by a pig, and trials for larger, catastrophic events, such as plagues and infestations. In the latter case, Evans suggests a parallel to witchcraft. Edward Payson Evans 1831-1917], a historian, linguist and associate of Ralph Waldo Emerson, taught at the University of Michigan before moving to Germany, where he became a specialist in Oriental languages and German literature. A prolific author, his other Animal-related books are Animal Symbolism in Art and Literature and Animal Symbolism in Ecclesiastical Architecture, both published in 1887. CONTENTS Introduction 1. Bugs and Beasts before the Law 2. Medi]val and Modern Penology Appendix Bibliography Index
With more than two million members and supporters, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) is the world's largest animal-rights organization, and its founder and president, Ingrid Newkirk, is one of the most well-known and most effective activists in America. She has spearheaded worldwide efforts to improve the treatment of animals in manufacturing, entertainment, and elsewhere. Every day, in laboratories, food factories, and other industries, animals by the millions are subjected to inhumane cruelty. In this accessible guide, Newkirk teaches readers hundreds of simple ways to stop thoughtless animal cruelty and make positive choices. For each topic, Newkirk provides hard facts, personal insight, inspiration, ideas, and resources, including: - How to eat healthfully and compassionately - How to adopt animals rather than support puppy mills - How to make their vote count and change public opinion - How to switch to cruelty-free cosmetics and clothing - How to choose amusements that protect rather than exploit animals. With public concern for the well-being of animals greater than ever--particularly among young people--this timely, practical book offers exciting and easy ways to make a difference.
"This is Hannah," Lynne Hugo introduces her chocolate Labrador retriever to an aged woman in a wheelchair at the Golden View Nursing Home. "Would you like to pat her?" "I don't know," she responds warily. "Dogs are complicated." So, of course, is life, especially as the years accumulate and the body declines. In fact, the most painful complications are those that Hugo hopes to ease with Hannah, her exuberant therapy dog. What Hugo receives in return, unexpectedly, is an outpouring of stories as the residents respond to Hannah's antics and affection. As Hugo's involvement deepens, she begins to see her own life and her care for her elderly parents in a new perspective. Interweaving the elders' tales-of old loves and ancient dreams, abandonment and loneliness, and the struggle for dignity-with her own family's story, she creates a richly textured collective portrait of the often-hidden world of the aged. At the same time, she crafts an eloquent meditation on the fundamental human need to nurture and remain connected to other people, to animals, and to the natural world.
This volume constitutes the proceedings of the Horses and Humans Symposium, held in 2000 at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History Powdermill Nature Preserve, in Rector, Pennsylvania, USA, in honor of Mary Aiken Littauer. The four-day symposium brought together 35 academics from Eurasia and America from the disciplines of archaeology, art history, history, paleontology, biology, veterinary medicine, animal husbandry, and other fields for presented papers, round-table discussions, demonstrations and much lively debate in the evenings. The culmination was a one-day public event at the St. Clair Showgrounds called the Celebration of the Horse that involved a wide range of equestrian performances by over 50 horses and riders for a public audience of over 500. In addition to the production of this volume, the symposium introduced many equine scholars to each other and initiated both collaboration and communication amongst this active community.
With humor and compassion, Dr. Nicholas H. Dodman explores the complex emotional problems of troubled animals and their (often) equally distressed owners. If Only They Could Speak has become a classic of animal literature, with stories as wise, and almost as human, as the lives of the animals they portray.
Hailed by critics on both sides of the Atlantic, The Bloodless Revolution is a comprehensive history of vegetarianism, "draw[ing] the different strands of the subject together in a way that has never been done before" (Keith Thomas, author of Man and the Natural World).
Did you know that mosquitoes' mouthparts are helping to develop pain-free surgical needles? Who'd have thought that the humble mussel could inspire so many useful things, from plywood production to a 'glue' that cements the crowns on teeth and saves unborn babies in the womb? How about the fact that studying the tiny kingfisher solved engineering problems with Japan's ultra-high-speed bullet train, or that the humpback whale's flipper helped design the most efficient blades for wind power turbines? For many years, humans have been using the natural world as inspiration for everything from fashion to architecture, and medicine to transport, and it may come as a surprise to learn how many inventions have been motivated by animal design and behaviour. Dive into the depths with us as author Patrick Aryee reveals even more astonishing stories about animals' exceptional powers and the unique contributions they've made to the quality of our everyday lives. Beautiful hand-drawn illustrations accompany his revelations and bring the natural world to life.
The new definition of the animal is one of the fascinating features of the intellectual life of the early modern period. The sixteenth century saw the invention of the new science of zoology. This went hand in hand with the (re)discovery of anatomy, physiology and - in the seventeenth century - the invention of the microscope. The discovery of the new world confronted intellectuals with hitherto unknown species, which found their way into courtly menageries, curiosity cabinets and academic collections. Artistic progress in painting and drawing brought about a new precision of animal illustrations. In this volume, specialists from various disciplines (Neo-Latin, French, German, Dutch, History, history of science, art history) explore the fascinating early modern discourses on animals in science, literature and the visual arts. The volume is of interest for all students of the history of science and intellectual life, of literature and art history of the early modern period. Contributors include Rebecca Parker Brienen, Paulette Chone, Sarah Cohen, Pia Cuneo, Louise Hill Curth, Florike Egmond, Karl A.E. Enenkel, Susanne Hehenberger, Annemarie Jordan-Gschwendt, Erik Jorink, Johan Koppenol, Almudena Perez de Tudela, Vibeke Roggen, Franziska Schnoor, Paul J. Smith, Thea Vignau-Wilberg, and Suzanne J. Walker.
This is a compilation of papers devoted to diverse archaeozoological issues. Most of the contributions are based on lectures given at the Seminario Relaciones Hombre-Fauna (Human - Fauna Relationships Seminar) organized by the Laboratorio de Arqueozoologia and sponsored by the Instituto Nacional de Antropologia e Historia, the Mexican federal agency at charge of preserving the palaeontological, anthropological and historical heritages of the country. Contents: 1) Human and fauna relationships, a look from paleocology to taphonomy (Eduardo Corona-m. and Joaquin Arroyo Cabrales); 2) Paleoecologia y sistematica de los equidos y gonfoterios fosiles de America del Sur (Maria Teresa Alberdi); 3) Perezosos antillanos: extincion y convivencia con aborigenes (Carlos Arredondo); 4) Earliest evidence for human-megafauna interaction in the Americas (Richard A. Farina y Reynaldo Castilla); 5) La complejidad de los sistemas ecologicos en la explicacion del registro arqueofaunistico de los cazadores recolectores de la isla grande de Tierra del Fuego (Sebastian Munoz); 6) Humans and other mammals in Prehispanic Chihuahua (William Merril y Celia Lopez); 7) Revelacion del color de caballos a partir de ADN antiguo y su implicacion en sociedades medievales (Cristina Valdiosera); 8) Human and animal taphonomy in Europe: A physical and chemical point of view (Colin Smith, Miranda Jans, Cristina Nielsen-Marsh and Matthew Collins); 9) One way to understand Mammoths: Lessons from actualistic studies of modern elephants (Gary Haynes); 10) Tafonomia de vertebrados en la Puna Argentina: Atricion y modificaciones oseas por carnivoros (Mariana Mondini); 11) El analisis de excretas desde la Etologia y la Arqueozoologia: el caso del lobo iberico (Isabel Barja y Eduardo Corona-M).
Before "New Age" there was "New Thought," a philosophy that sought God through metaphysics and was wildly popular in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. American mystic and bestselling author RALPH WALDO TRINE (1866-1958) was one of the most influential writers on New Thought principles, and here, in this 1899 book, he explains that how humanity behaves toward its fellow creatures is a measure of our own civility, or lack thereof: . how children learn kindness through the gentle treatment of animals . why fashion-in clothing, in food-cannot dictate our usage of animals . how a society's viewpoint on animals is reflected in its culture . and more. Vegetarians, animal lovers, and those seeking a closer communion with the natural world will find this a stirring work.
Many people think that animal liberation would require a fundamental transformation of basic beliefs. We would have to give up "speciesism" and start viewing animals as our equals, with rights and moral status. And we would have to apply these beliefs in an all-or-nothing way. But in "Ethics and the Beast," Tzachi Zamir makes the radical argument that animal liberation doesn't require such radical arguments--and that liberation could be accomplished in a flexible and pragmatic way. By making a case for liberation that is based primarily on common moral intuitions and beliefs, and that therefore could attract wide understanding and support, Zamir attempts to change the terms of the liberation debate. Without defending it, "Ethics and the Beast" claims that speciesism is fully compatible with liberation. Even if we believe that we should favor humans when there is a pressing human need at stake, Zamir argues, that does not mean that we should allow marginal human interests to trump the life-or-death interests of animals. As minimalist as it sounds, this position generates a robust liberation program, including commitments not to eat animals, subject them to factory farming, or use them in medical research. Zamir also applies his arguments to some questions that tend to be overlooked in the liberation debate, such as whether using animals can be distinguished from exploiting them, whether liberationists should be moral vegetarians or vegans, and whether using animals for therapeutic purposes is morally blameless.
Go inside the Animal Liberation Front. Written by former Animal Liberation Front organizer Keith Mann, From Dusk 'til Dawn is a detailed account of the advance of the radical Animal Liberation Movement, from the English hunt saboteurs of the 1960's, to the Animal Liberation Front of the 1970's and 80's, to the focused direct action campaigns of the 1990's. Daring stories of masked liberators spiriting animals from labs in the middle of the night, militant vegans firebombing egg farm trucks, and the dramatic government response. Fifteen years in the making, From Dusk 'til Dawn was born during Keith Mann's lengthy prison sentence for Animal Liberation Front actions. His escape from custody in 1994 nearly scuppered the project but his determination to document the growth of the animal liberation movement ensured its completion. From Dusk 'til Dawn is a must-read for anyone wishing to understand why people break the law and give their lives to rescue animals from exploitation.
A cloud of witnesses in the defense of animals - voices coming from the Church through the ages from the full text of Pope St. Pius V's Condemnation of Bull Fighting to the anti-vivisection writings of Cardinal Manning, Cardinal Gibbons and others. The heart of the book deals with how animals have figured in the lives of the saints. Many excerpts, tales and legends are within given of dozens upon dozens of saints.
Since the 1960s, zoos and aquariums have been repeatedly challenged by animal rights activists, regulatory agencies, anti-tax advocates, and an assortment of litigators. Working through the American Zoological Association, these institutions learned to use the U.S. political system to their advantage and, simultaneously, crafted a more progressive public mission. This original study draws upon interviews, archival sources, Congressional records, court cases, regulatory hearings, media accounts, and the authors' ongoing field research.
Animal rights. Those two words conjure diverse but powerful images and reactions. Some nod in agreement, while others roll their eyes in contempt. Most people fall somewhat uncomfortably in the middle, between endorsement and rejection, as they struggle with the profound moral, philosophical, and legal questions provoked by the debate. Today, thousands of organizations lobby, agitate, and educate the public on issues concerning the rights and treatment of nonhumans. For the Prevention of Cruelty is the first history of organized advocacy on behalf of animals in the United States to appear in nearly a half century. Diane Beers demonstrates how the cause has shaped and reshaped itself as it has evolved within the broader social context of the shift from an industrial to a postindustrial society. Until now, the legacy of the movement in the United States has not been examined. Few Americans today perceive either the companionship or the consumption of animals in the same manner as did earlier generations. Moreover, powerful and lingering bonds connect the seemingly disparate American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals of the nineteenth century and the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals of today. For the Prevention of Cruelty tells an intriguing and important story that reveals society's often changing relationship with animals through the lens of those who struggled to shepherd the public toward a greater compassion.
The Kennel Club's Breed Standards form the basis for judging dogs at all licensed breed shows. This fully revised edition of the authoritative guide outlines the descriptive 'standards' for each of the 201 pure breeds of dog now recognised by the Kennel Club. The book has been completely updated by a panel of experts to incorporate the latest standards for all breeds in each of the principal categories - Hound, Gundog, Terrier, Utility, Working, Pastoral and Toy. As well as providing a beautiful colour photograph of each dog, each entry contains a history of the breed, including its origins and function, as well as a full description outlining its essential features. There is also useful advice on the nature of each breed and practical information to help guide anyone who is buying a dog, as well as a glossary of canine terms. This book is essential reading for anyone who owns, or hopes to own, a pedigree dog and is indispensable for breeders, judges and those professionally involved with dogs.
Christians believe that we are called to honor and serve God. Kaufman and Braun assert that moving toward a plant-based diet is a faithful way to serve God, because a plant-based diet helps avoid damage to God's earth, depletion of scarce resources, abuse of God's animals, squandering of food needed by the world's poor and hungry people, and harm to our bodies. This book is a primer for Christian vegetarians. It reviews the religious and secular bases for vegetarianism, and it provides practical advice on activism and on dealing with family and friends.
What does American pragmatism contribute to contemporary debates about human-animal relationships? Does it acknowledge our connections to all living things? Does it bring us closer to an ethical treatment of all animals? What about hunting, vegetarianism, animal experimentation, and the welfare of farm animals? While questions about human relations with animals have been with us for millennia, there has been a marked rise in public awareness about animal issues even McDonald s advertises that they use humanely treated animals as food sources. In Animal Pragmatism, 12 lively and provocative essays address concerns at the intersection of pragmatist philosophy and animal welfare. Topics cover a broad range of issues, including moral consideration of animals, the ethics of animal experimentation, institutional animal care, environmental protection of animal habitat, farm animal welfare, animal communication, and animal morals. Readers who interact with animals, whether as pets or on a plate, will find a robust and fascinating exploration of human-nonhuman relationships. Contributors are James M. Albrecht, Douglas R. Anderson, Steven Fesmire, Glenn Kuehn, Todd Lekan, Andrew Light, John J. McDermott, Erin McKenna, Phillip McReynolds, Ben Minteer, Matthew Pamental, Paul Thompson, and Jennifer Welchman."
Animals obviously cannot have a right of free speech or a right to vote because they lack the relevant capacities. But their right to life and to be free of exploitation is no less fundamental than the corresponding right of humans, writes Julian H. Franklin. This theoretically rigorous book will reassure the committed, help the uncertain to decide, and arm the polemicist. Franklin examines all the major arguments for animal rights proposed to date and extends the philosophy in new directions. "Animal Rights and Moral Philosophy" begins by considering the utilitarian argument of equal respect for animals advocated by Peter Singer and, even more favorably, the rights approach that has been advanced by Tom Regan. Despite their merits, both are found wanting as theoretical foundations for animal rights. Franklin also examines the ecofeminist argument for an ethics of care and several rationalist arguments before concluding that Kant's categorical imperative can be expanded to form a basis for an ethical system that includes all sentient beings. Franklin also discusses compassion as applied to animals, encompassing Albert Schweitzer's ethics of reverence for life. He concludes his analysis by considering conflicts of rights between animals and humans.
Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. The sapiens of the sea, whales are the other intelligent, social, and loquacious animal. But they seem to swim away the more people chase after them in an effort to communicate and connect. Why does the meaning of their mesmerizing songs continue to elude us? In times of unprecedented environmental and social loss, Whale Song ponders the problems facing ocean ecosystems and offers lessons from those depths for human social life and intimacy. Object Lessons is published in partnership with an essay series in The Atlantic.
"And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth."--Genesis 1:24-26 |
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