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Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness
by
Although mammals and birds are widely regarded as the smartest creatures on earth, it has lately become clear that a very distant branch of the tree of life has also sprouted higher intelligence: the cephalopods, consisting of the squid, the cuttlefish, and above all the octopus. In captivity, octopuses have been known to identify individual human keepers, raid neighboring
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Kindle Edition, 271 pages
Published
December 6th 2016
by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
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Start your review of Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness

I wanted to like this book -- I really did -- but unfortunately it just didn't do much for me.
First of all, my background and the book's. I studied bio with an emphasis on evolution. This book is about the evolution of octopus brains: a system only distantly linked to our own. An octopus is really the closest thing we have to a truly alien intelligence whereas mammals and birds have similar systems in play. We were a match made in heaven. I was thrilled for this book and even tried to get a frie ...more
First of all, my background and the book's. I studied bio with an emphasis on evolution. This book is about the evolution of octopus brains: a system only distantly linked to our own. An octopus is really the closest thing we have to a truly alien intelligence whereas mammals and birds have similar systems in play. We were a match made in heaven. I was thrilled for this book and even tried to get a frie ...more

This book is explanation of our development, the evolution, from single-celled beings to the complex creatures of today. The author says that the chemistry of life is aquatic. That's why we are made of such a large volume of water with a delicate salt-balance ourselves. I knew this, but had never thought of it quite as "the chemistry of life is sea-based".
The author is in love with octopuses and cuttlefish and describes them from observation, from laboratory anecdotes and from a scientific point ...more
The author is in love with octopuses and cuttlefish and describes them from observation, from laboratory anecdotes and from a scientific point ...more

Octopodes, or "the floppy floppy spider of the sea," (source: ZeFrank) are pretty freaking amazing. Godfrey-Smith agrees, which is how this book came about. As he notes on page 9, "If we can make contact with cephalopods as sentient beings, it is not because of shared history...but because evolution built minds twice over. This is probably the closest we will come to meeting an intelligent alien."
Unfortunately, he tried to marry it with one of his professional passions, the philosophy of consci ...more
Unfortunately, he tried to marry it with one of his professional passions, the philosophy of consci ...more

"When you dive into the sea, you are diving into the origin of us all."
- Peter Godfrey-Smith, Other Minds

"Mischief and craft are plainly seen to be characteristics of this creature."
- Claudius Aelianus, 3rd Century A.D., writing about the octopus
It is always fascinating reading a biology book that seems to resemble a physics book, or an economics book that borrows heavily from psychology. Cross-pollination and flexibility to squeeze into other academic boxes always pleases me. So, when I discove ...more
- Peter Godfrey-Smith, Other Minds

"Mischief and craft are plainly seen to be characteristics of this creature."
- Claudius Aelianus, 3rd Century A.D., writing about the octopus
It is always fascinating reading a biology book that seems to resemble a physics book, or an economics book that borrows heavily from psychology. Cross-pollination and flexibility to squeeze into other academic boxes always pleases me. So, when I discove ...more

Despite what might be gleaned from your Star Treks and Dr Whos, the evolution of intelligent life is – as far as I can get my head round it – infinitesimally rare and unlikely. The emergence of cells, the development of eukaryotes, the first multicellular organisms, the start of sexual reproduction, and finally some kind of freak evolutionary drive towards increased intelligence – all these things happened once only, and didn't have to. It's presumably happened somewhere else in the universe (wh
...more

Apr 15, 2020
Jenna
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Jenna by:
ashley c
Cephalopods are among my favourite animal species. They are amazing and yet so much of them remains mysterious. I was thrilled to learn of this book when a friend recently reviewed it. On the TBR list it went!
Peter Godfrey-Smith is a philosophy professor who spends his spare time studying cephalopods. In Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness he takes us underwater to explore these magnificent creatures and to ponder the origin of intelligence and consciousness ...more
Peter Godfrey-Smith is a philosophy professor who spends his spare time studying cephalopods. In Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness he takes us underwater to explore these magnificent creatures and to ponder the origin of intelligence and consciousness ...more

Strangely enough, this book -- which could have turned into a free-for-all metaphysics/philosophy speculation-fest -- actually turned out to be a relatively careful, thoughtful science book that poses, but does not attempt to prove, that octopods may be the real deal.
Intelligence does not need a spine. Hell, to me, this should be rather obvious.
I appreciate how the old scientific prejudice and just plain annoyance with the creatures might have skewed clear thinking about squids. I also understan ...more
Intelligence does not need a spine. Hell, to me, this should be rather obvious.
I appreciate how the old scientific prejudice and just plain annoyance with the creatures might have skewed clear thinking about squids. I also understan ...more

One of the best books I read this year and not one I had been planning to read. I skimmed a few reviews, which were interesting but did not leave me thinking that I needed to read the full book. But then I started a sample on a whim and was swept away by the carefully observed descriptions of octopuses (and to a lesser degree cuttlefish) and the use of that as a springboard to discuss evolutionary biology and the philosophy of the mind.
Octopuses are a type of mollusk and, like all invertebrates, ...more
Octopuses are a type of mollusk and, like all invertebrates, ...more

Gosh, I wasn't crazy about this. Godfrey-Smith is an Australian, Sydney native, teaching at City University in New York. He began studying octopus in 2008 by following them around in scuba gear. He is a philosopher, not a scientist. I did not grasp that when we began. There were some very un-scientific notions presented that struck me as weird
"[Cephalopods and baboons] are both partial cases, unfinished, in a sense, though one should not think of evolution as goal-directed."I should think not. ...more

Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea, And the Deep Origins of Consciousness
Other Minds is one of the most remarkable books I have read - ever!
There is much I loved about this book, much that fascinated, intrigued, puzzled, flummoxed, and thoroughly delighted me in this wonderful treasure, but none of that would have happened without the extraordinary writing by Peter Godfrey Smith.
So I may have been drawn into the book by the title and my fascination for the octopus, but the other half of the tit ...more
Other Minds is one of the most remarkable books I have read - ever!
There is much I loved about this book, much that fascinated, intrigued, puzzled, flummoxed, and thoroughly delighted me in this wonderful treasure, but none of that would have happened without the extraordinary writing by Peter Godfrey Smith.
So I may have been drawn into the book by the title and my fascination for the octopus, but the other half of the tit ...more

I decided to give this a go after seeing a glowing recommendation for it in an online article. I suppose those sorts of reviews are a double-edged sword. They get you to read the book, but on the other hand the reader can start with overly high expectations, which is what happened to me in this case.
The author’s starting premise is an intriguing one. The complex brains of humans and other mammals are all “variations on a theme” and arise out of differences between quite closely related species. ...more
The author’s starting premise is an intriguing one. The complex brains of humans and other mammals are all “variations on a theme” and arise out of differences between quite closely related species. ...more

Thoroughly enjoyable, fantastic writing, a perfect blend of science and thoughtful, personal responses with a philosophical bent. Highly recommended

Before picking up this book I had only a general knowledge of octopuses, cuttlefish and squid. All three are cephalopods. The book focuses primarily on the first two. Less is known and fewer studies have been done on squid. Curious, I picked up the book to learn moreabout these animals. Published in 2016, both past and recent studies are covered. The book has taught me a lot about octopuses and cuttlefish and I am glad to have read it.
The book has a second focus—intelligence, consciousness and ...more
The book has a second focus—intelligence, consciousness and ...more

This is a really well planned out book, which tried to explain in thorough detail, but in ways the general public can understand a wide array of scientific research - primarily evolutionary biology, but also aspects of behavioural science - signaling, communication and a whole bunch of other things that factor into the evolution of octopus and (giant) cuttlefish - which form the largest part of this book. In passing it also deals with comparable animals (including humans), such as bees, pigeons,
...more

Loved this book. I guess the best part for me was the lively enthusiasm, this guy really lives his stories. The attention to detail, the personal approach towards scientific stories -hard to do and well done- and the never ending exhilarating, addictive examples. The only reason it does not get five stars is the ‘other minds’ subject. There is a promise in the beginning that we will dive into another world of consciousness and intelligence with the octopi. The book -for me- does not really deliv
...more

10/10 RECOMMEND.
The premise:
Basically, a philosopher tries to parse out how and why cephalopods (octopus, squid, cuttlefish) developed intelligent minds when they split from all other animals we consider to have intelligent minds (e.g. vertebrates like cats, dogs, parrots, monkeys, humans, etc.) so very, very long ago. These are parallel evolutions; our minds and octopoid (it's a word) minds developed completely independent of each other. How? Why? And what does this say about what a “mind” ...more
The premise:
Basically, a philosopher tries to parse out how and why cephalopods (octopus, squid, cuttlefish) developed intelligent minds when they split from all other animals we consider to have intelligent minds (e.g. vertebrates like cats, dogs, parrots, monkeys, humans, etc.) so very, very long ago. These are parallel evolutions; our minds and octopoid (it's a word) minds developed completely independent of each other. How? Why? And what does this say about what a “mind” ...more

I came to this via the afterword of the brilliant SF book Children of Ruin which deals with humans and their allies coming across a space-faring(!) civilization of uplifted octopuses. That book leans heavily on this one; enough so that I recommend that to readers of this and vice versa.
I must admit that I came to this with some trepidation given that it's ostensibly about consciousness and by a philosopher. Neither of those things creates an expectation of anything concrete or evidence-based. So ...more
I must admit that I came to this with some trepidation given that it's ostensibly about consciousness and by a philosopher. Neither of those things creates an expectation of anything concrete or evidence-based. So ...more

An interesting insight into the evolution of other forms of intelligent life which have developed completely independently of our own.
One of those intelligent books which deftly flows between science and philosophy. Godfrey-Smith is a good writer who handles complex ideas with ease. He has researched well and quotes liberally from many scientific and philosophical sources - adding his own compelling interpretations.
But 3 stars rather than 4. I know I am idiosyncratic and inconsistent in my grad ...more
One of those intelligent books which deftly flows between science and philosophy. Godfrey-Smith is a good writer who handles complex ideas with ease. He has researched well and quotes liberally from many scientific and philosophical sources - adding his own compelling interpretations.
But 3 stars rather than 4. I know I am idiosyncratic and inconsistent in my grad ...more

I found this book after reading a NY Times article by the author, "Octopuses and the Puzzle of Aging". The article was fascinating, and at the bottom was a note mentioning it was adapted from this forthcoming book.
I don't read as much non-fiction as I should (read: none at all) but I ordered it anyway and I'm glad I did! Godfrey-Smith takes you from the beginning of life on Earth to the present, stopping along the way to point out important developments not just in octopus consciousness, but in ...more
I don't read as much non-fiction as I should (read: none at all) but I ordered it anyway and I'm glad I did! Godfrey-Smith takes you from the beginning of life on Earth to the present, stopping along the way to point out important developments not just in octopus consciousness, but in ...more

Jun 29, 2018
Ms.pegasus
rated it
really liked it
Recommends it for:
anyone interested in biology or evolution
Recommended to Ms.pegasus by:
review in THE ECONOMIST
Shelves:
ecosystems-nature,
nonfiction
The author's primary goal is examining how evolutionary biology might contribute to our understanding of consciousness. This examination combines scientific observation with philosophical theorizing, and it is not always easy to follow.
I found the first four chapters fascinating. The narrative starts with single cells, perhaps 700 million years ago, hovering in a water column. Their proximity might be conducive to a sensing of surrounding cells. How did these single cells unite to form multicell ...more
I found the first four chapters fascinating. The narrative starts with single cells, perhaps 700 million years ago, hovering in a water column. Their proximity might be conducive to a sensing of surrounding cells. How did these single cells unite to form multicell ...more

"Other Minds" by Peter Godfrey-Smith is an amazing, thought-provoking book that bridges science and philosophy, notably the question: 'What is consciousness? And how do you know when something is sentient?'
Godfrey-Smith addresses this thorny problem by studying the 'other time' intelligence evolved on earth, notably the cephalopods. These animals, which include octopuses and cuddle fish, are intelligent, especially the octopuses. They solve complex cognitive tasks as readily as magpies and monk ...more
Godfrey-Smith addresses this thorny problem by studying the 'other time' intelligence evolved on earth, notably the cephalopods. These animals, which include octopuses and cuddle fish, are intelligent, especially the octopuses. They solve complex cognitive tasks as readily as magpies and monk ...more

Rating: 3.5* of five
A deeply (!) enjoyable look at cephalopod minds, not brains but minds, in parallel to our own mammalian ones. I was absolutely enthralled by the author's discoveries made at a site he calls "Octopolis," a community of octopuses on the seafloor near Sydney, Australia.
One of the most interesting facets of the book to me was its explanation, in terms of existing evolutionary thought, of how and why cephalopods, animals that live a single mating cycle on average, developed the as ...more
A deeply (!) enjoyable look at cephalopod minds, not brains but minds, in parallel to our own mammalian ones. I was absolutely enthralled by the author's discoveries made at a site he calls "Octopolis," a community of octopuses on the seafloor near Sydney, Australia.
One of the most interesting facets of the book to me was its explanation, in terms of existing evolutionary thought, of how and why cephalopods, animals that live a single mating cycle on average, developed the as ...more

(3.5) some good stuff about octopus and cuttlefish (wee!) behavior but a lot of fluff / repetition as well.
He tries to tackle cephalopod behavior, evolutionary biology and the evolution of consciousness in mammals, birds and cephalopods. The cephalopod behavior is by far the most interesting. There are some cool anecdotes in here, some from his own experience and some from others. If you read the eBook, don't miss the color photos near the end of the book! (And I don't recommend reading on eink! ...more
He tries to tackle cephalopod behavior, evolutionary biology and the evolution of consciousness in mammals, birds and cephalopods. The cephalopod behavior is by far the most interesting. There are some cool anecdotes in here, some from his own experience and some from others. If you read the eBook, don't miss the color photos near the end of the book! (And I don't recommend reading on eink! ...more

May 25, 2018
Vivian
rated it
really liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Vivian by:
Emma Sea
Philosophy meets evolutionary biology and very very interesting.
For those out there fascinated by the recent 'octopuses are aliens' (paraphased) journal paper, read this, please.
Godfrey-Smith explores how sensory and reacting developed differently in cephalopods versus vertebrates. Postulating how the highly centralized nervous system of vertebrates varies from the more dispersed one in octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish. Once I got into the frame of mind to read this, it went very quickly. This ...more
For those out there fascinated by the recent 'octopuses are aliens' (paraphased) journal paper, read this, please.
Godfrey-Smith explores how sensory and reacting developed differently in cephalopods versus vertebrates. Postulating how the highly centralized nervous system of vertebrates varies from the more dispersed one in octopuses, squid, and cuttlefish. Once I got into the frame of mind to read this, it went very quickly. This ...more

Jun 05, 2020
Nisha Menon
rated it
did not like it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
the-30-percent-dump
This is so badly written and has barely any coherent points to make.
If I'm going to read non-fiction, it better make reality interesting.
This just wasn't it. I was so excited for this though. Aaah! Movin' on. ...more
If I'm going to read non-fiction, it better make reality interesting.
This just wasn't it. I was so excited for this though. Aaah! Movin' on. ...more

Although I'm still finding non-fiction a challenge, this was a charmingly wide-ranging account of evolution, consciousness, and cephalopods. Godfrey-Smith combines discussion of the Cambrian explosion of life, speculation about how language and intelligence developed, and personal accounts of swimming with octopodes and squid. He also includes colour photographs of his octopus friends. What really stuck with me was his point that mammals and birds with complex brains generally live quite a long
...more

[29 September 2018]
This fascinating short book is about octopuses, the development of consciousness in both humans and other animals, why living creatures die, and other interesting topics. A strange mix, you think? Yes, but very well done.
This is not a scientific work. The author is not a scientist, but a philosopher. However, he might also be called a naturalist, one who observes nature closely and reports on it. And he does it well. His writing style is relaxed, almost conversational, and ve ...more
This fascinating short book is about octopuses, the development of consciousness in both humans and other animals, why living creatures die, and other interesting topics. A strange mix, you think? Yes, but very well done.
This is not a scientific work. The author is not a scientist, but a philosopher. However, he might also be called a naturalist, one who observes nature closely and reports on it. And he does it well. His writing style is relaxed, almost conversational, and ve ...more

"I for one welcome our new octopus overlords!" is probably not a phrase you'll hear anytime soon. But this book does make a strong case that the octopus and the cuttlefish (Godfrey-Smith definitely has a crush on cuttlefish) are quite intelligent. And because we parted ways evolutionarily quite a long time back, he says, we can study them to understand our own path to consciousness. It sounds like the science is far from settled but he sketches out a few different theories that seem plausible an
...more

Sep 17, 2017
Paul
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-read-2017,
royal-society-prize
The mind is a complex entity, we have only scratched the surface in comprehending how it works and what it is capable of. The neural networks that make up the brain are capable of absorbing vast sums of information and making sense of them fast. The intelligence that we have, and can see in other mammals and birds, in particular, other primates, cetaceans, and corvids. There is another set of animals that seem to have also benefited from a large brain and complex neural networks and that is the
...more

OVERALL AVERAGE RATING: 3.8
Content: 4/5
So last year I read The Lightkeepers by Abby Geni (excellent book by the way), and one of the things that stuck with me from that book was the octopus that one of the characters kept as a pet. Geni had described it as such an enigmatic creature that I immediately wanted to read more about them. With that said, this book was extremely detailed and informative, covering a span of topics from the evolutionary history of cephalopods to current research that’s b ...more
Content: 4/5
So last year I read The Lightkeepers by Abby Geni (excellent book by the way), and one of the things that stuck with me from that book was the octopus that one of the characters kept as a pet. Geni had described it as such an enigmatic creature that I immediately wanted to read more about them. With that said, this book was extremely detailed and informative, covering a span of topics from the evolutionary history of cephalopods to current research that’s b ...more
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I am currently Distinguished Professor of Philosophy at the Graduate Center, CUNY (City University of New York), and Professor of History and Philosophy of Science (half-time) at the University of Sydney.
I grew up in Sydney, Australia. My undergraduate degree is from the University of Sydney, and I have a PhD in philosophy from UC San Diego. I taught at Stanford University between 1991 and 2003, a ...more
I grew up in Sydney, Australia. My undergraduate degree is from the University of Sydney, and I have a PhD in philosophy from UC San Diego. I taught at Stanford University between 1991 and 2003, a ...more
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“When you dive into the sea, you are diving into the origin of us all.”
—
11 likes
“Cephalopods are an island of mental complexity in the sea of invertebrate animals. Because our most recent common ancestor was so simple and lies so far back, cephalopods are an independent experiment in the evolution of large brains and complex behavior. If we can make contact with cephalopods as sentient beings, it is not because of a shared history, not because of kinship, but because evolution built minds twice over.”
—
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