Thinking Plant Animal Human: Encounters with Communities of Difference

Thinking Plant Animal Human is a collection of essays by David Wood, a founding member of the Oxford Group of philosophers promoting animal rights. It explores our connections with cats, goats, sand crabs, homo sapiens, art, and children's stories, introducing the idea of "kinnibalism" and delving into contemporary efforts to rescue plants from philosophical neglect. Wood shows that the best way to resist simplistic classification is to attend to our manifold relationships with other living beings, which cast light in complex ways on the living communities of which we are part and recoils profoundly on our understanding of ourselves.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 272 pages
Publication date: 19 February 2022
Publisher: University of Minnesota Press

A significant shift is occurring in our understanding of animals and life in general, particularly in the Western world. The very terms "man," "animal," and "life" have become mere conceptual shells, impeding our ability to think critically about the issues they encompass. David Wood, a prominent philosopher who played a key role in the early 1970s Oxford Group of philosophers advocating for animal rights, also headed Ecology Action (UK).

Thinking Plant Animal Human is the inaugural collection of this influential philosopher's essays on "animals," consolidating his diverse discussions on nonhuman life, including the renowned "Thinking with Cats." Through his exploration of our relationships with cats, goats, and sand crabs, Thinking Plant Animal Human introduces the concept of "kinnibalism" (the act of eating mammals is akin to consuming our own kin), reflects on the idea of homo sapiens, and examines the role of animals in art and children's stories. Furthermore, the book delves into remarkable contemporary efforts to rescue plants from philosophical neglect and reevaluate their significance. A recurring theme is the remarkable strangeness of other forms of life, which extends to humanity.

Wood demonstrates that the most effective way to resist simplistic categorization is to pay attention to our multifaceted connections with other living beings. It is not anthropocentric to focus on these relationships; they shed light in intricate ways on the living communities to which we belong, and delving into them has a profound impact on our self-understanding.

Weight: 340g
Dimension: 141 x 215 x 18 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781517907228