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The Octopus and the Orangutan: New Tales of Animal Intrigue, Intelligence, and Ingenuity
by
In The Octopus and the Orangutan, Eugene Linden takes readers on another unforgettable journey into the minds and hearts of animals, going beyond our everyday encounters with animals at home and in the zoo in a wide-ranging collection of real-life anecdotes.
The Octopus and the Orangutan finds intelligent behavior in surprising new places, ranging from the octopus's ...more
The Octopus and the Orangutan finds intelligent behavior in surprising new places, ranging from the octopus's ...more
Paperback, 256 pages
Published
July 29th 2003
by Plume Books
(first published 2002)
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Start your review of The Octopus and the Orangutan: New Tales of Animal Intrigue, Intelligence, and Ingenuity
Linden does a stellar job of demolishing the scientific process in this loosely-linked collection of anecdotes, speculation, and outright making shit up.
A telling example: after credulously recounting a tiger keeper's stories of telepathic "imaging" from the big cats warning the keeper of danger, Linden says "Any empiricist gets understandably nervous when such stories are raised, but, discounting the possibility that they are the product of an overheated imagination, they are worth ...more
A telling example: after credulously recounting a tiger keeper's stories of telepathic "imaging" from the big cats warning the keeper of danger, Linden says "Any empiricist gets understandably nervous when such stories are raised, but, discounting the possibility that they are the product of an overheated imagination, they are worth ...more
Mar 27, 2010
Ines
rated it
liked it
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Ines by:
Kazimieras
Shelves:
non-fiction,
recommendations-made-to-me
I didn't know what I was getting into when I began reading this book. I thought that it was a book filled with "true tales of animal intrigue, intelligence, and ingenuity". And yes, while the book does have tales, many of them are anecdotal, possibly embellished truths, but they also seem secondary to the author's main topics, one of which is intelligence.
The reason I say this book is more about the study of intelligence versus tales of animals, is because Linden covers such topics as ...more
The reason I say this book is more about the study of intelligence versus tales of animals, is because Linden covers such topics as ...more
Interesting and fast-paced, with a lot of intriguing anecdotes... and not a lot of detail or organization. I admit it - I'm spoiled. I was hoping for more.
I was also hoping it wouldn't devolve quite so much into 'woo' that totally lacks any kind of evidence, and I lost a bit of respect for the author when he gave several pages to the possibility that cats might be able to communicate via implanting images in the minds of people around them. Speaking as a lifelong cat owner, I very much doubt ...more
I was also hoping it wouldn't devolve quite so much into 'woo' that totally lacks any kind of evidence, and I lost a bit of respect for the author when he gave several pages to the possibility that cats might be able to communicate via implanting images in the minds of people around them. Speaking as a lifelong cat owner, I very much doubt ...more
If you are looking for answers, don't bother with this book. This is a book intended to generate questions. It raises questions about how intelligence can be measured when it can't even be properly defined, and how our (stubborn) clinging to assertions of human exceptionality in terms of intelligence might be rooted in our assumptions that intelligence must manifest itself in other animals the same ways it does in humans, and be grounded in the same structures. Yes, it does use a lot of
...more
This book will give you enough amusing anecdotes about various brilliant animals to fuel your dinner table conversation for weeks to come. Linden refrains from drawing too many conclusions from the various amazing stories of animal ingenuity, as he realizes that anecdotes do not scientific proof make, but the wide range of stories here speak for themselves -- we don't know nearly as much as some think we do about what intelligence is and how animals think.
A thoroughly fascinating and endlessly enjoyable book. I have fallen in love with octopuses and the magnificent souls who decided to pay attention and respect to all these creatures, and then report the sometimes hilarious stories! I've always thought it arrogant of humans to refer to other animals as "lower forms of life." Take a look at a video of an octopus changing its color and skin texture to blend in with the plants on the sea bed - can we do that?
This dovetailed nicely with the concepts we are covering in ecology class-animal behavior such as altruism, deception, etc. The anecdotes were entertaining and usually thought-provoking, although he lost me when he started suggesting that animals might be capable of telepathy. That made me take the rest of it with a grain of salt.
I was entertained by the stories of the animals, but quite a bit of the text was his analysis of the events and how animals had evolved in order to do these things.
Read in 2017, and this book is 15 years outdated. For that reason alone, I do not recommend.
Also, the name is misleading. It's not really a cutesy book of animal tales like it makes itself out to be. It's a little book of anecdotal arguments written in favor of animal intelligence, compiled by an environmental journalist. The writing is pretty dry, though, and the arguments don't even try to lead to any conclusions. Even if it were contemporary, it still wouldn't be all that good.
Also, the name is misleading. It's not really a cutesy book of animal tales like it makes itself out to be. It's a little book of anecdotal arguments written in favor of animal intelligence, compiled by an environmental journalist. The writing is pretty dry, though, and the arguments don't even try to lead to any conclusions. Even if it were contemporary, it still wouldn't be all that good.
I have mixed feelings about this book. I'm not sure exactly what I was expecting...but this wasn't it - good or bad. It at times felt intelligent and thought-provoking. Yet at other times it felt amateur, naive or superficial, and I was left feeling frustrated and gypped, yearning for more.
The author's discussion(s) on "intelligence" was fascinating - how do we actually define intelligence, how does human intelligence as the standard influence perception of "intelligence", does this not ...more
The author's discussion(s) on "intelligence" was fascinating - how do we actually define intelligence, how does human intelligence as the standard influence perception of "intelligence", does this not ...more
It took me several attempts to get into this book, I actually started it several times and stalled. I was determined however and I am glad I persevered because it is about Animal Behaviour, which was my first university major, and Octopus! My favourite animal and, yes I also majored in Cephalopod behaviour.
Unfortunately the first two chapters, dealing with the octopus, which were the ones I was most excited about, were the ones I got least out of. Despite the mention of classic work and august ...more
Unfortunately the first two chapters, dealing with the octopus, which were the ones I was most excited about, were the ones I got least out of. Despite the mention of classic work and august ...more
A book that asks for an open mind as to what is the basis of cognition and comminication in animals, including humans. The part in chapter 10 that dealt with establishing parameters of word definitions before communication begins was a favorite segment. It is so true that it is easier to communicate with someone who shares a set of experiences that form the basis of how definitions of words in common are reached. Ingroup communications have greater numbers of shared terms than outgroup
...more
A very interesting and provocative book about animal intelligence. While it is mostly anecdotes about animals the author is well aware of the limited scientific value, but is also aware of their importance and makes a good case for typical scientific procedure being woefully inadequate to assess what we know about non human intelligence. he makes very good points about how intelligence can mean different things, and that animals like octopus, which have tiny brains, and normally would be
...more
Another great book from Eugene Linden. I preferred "The parrot's lament," but this book was still fantastic. An octopus annoyed by its not so fresh shrimp, master escape artists and the pros and cons of bartering with captive animals. Great stuff. Just a good example, a story of a bull and a horse working together to get a door open to escape. The bull would put his horns under the door to lift it up (to take the tension off of the hook) and the horse would then lift the hook. Amazing anecdotes.
...more
It truly is full of "more true tales of animal intrigue, intelligence and ingenuity", but that is about all it is. The anecdotes (Orangatans escaping from cages by picking their locks with wire or an octopus making a point of putting the not so fresh shrimp done the drain) were very amusing, but the descriptions on how this could be another level of intelligence was poorly done and their was little reference to actual science to support the stories. Reads much shorter than the 220 pages it was
...more
This book is very interesting. Some of the animal stories of intelligence are hilarious and make me "LOL". I do not agree with the fact that these animals are being held captive and used for scientific research. I have a hard time seeing past that fact, but the I do like that the author says that he doesn't necessarily agree with it either.
Octopuses and orangutans are very intelligent creatures, and this book has definitely increased my knowledge about the two. I am somewhat biased though, I ...more
Octopuses and orangutans are very intelligent creatures, and this book has definitely increased my knowledge about the two. I am somewhat biased though, I ...more
The animal anecdotes themselves are uniformly awesome and charming, and many of them are even fairly plausible. Less awesome and charming: Linden's apparent annoyance at scientists for their stupid fixation on experiments and verifying things and their stupid skepticism. Completely priceless: his later assertion that maybe cats are psychic.
What the hell, man. What the hell.
What the hell, man. What the hell.
Feb 23, 2016
Rena Sherwood
rated it
it was ok
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
non-fiction,
animals
Very short book about animal intelligence, focusing on octopuses, orangutans and elephants. Contains some very un-PC stories about captive killer whales and zoo elephants. Just scratches the surface of the topic and never really goes to much depth. The book could have benefited with a bibliography and some photos. I found "When Elephants Weep" to be a much better book on animal intelligence, even though it centers on animal emotions.
Expected stories of the connections/bonds between animals and humans; these were more like scientific proposals. There were a few memorable anecdotes, but most of the content was theoretically based and presented in a dry arrangement.
I wanted this to be a book about different crazy, inspiring stories of animals. It sort of is...but not really. It's more like a short story followed by pontification on the part of the author. I would prefer you tell the story and I'll do the pondering. Still, some of the stories were crazy!
Loved it. The author really probes at our limiting definitions of intelligence and really poses some interesting questions about it. This book made me think a lot after i put it down- I definately would recommend this book to anyone!!!
As long as you're not too science-minded and require proof and citations, Linden's tales of surprise animal intelligence can captivate the imagination. Definitely a book that makes you question reality as we (think) we know it.
Stories of animal intelligence. Wonderful, funny, and bring a smile to your face.
Fun and interesting.
Slightly fewer interesting anecdotes and research results than I would like.
Rich with lovely reported stories and musings on the nature of intelligence!
Slightly fewer interesting anecdotes and research results than I would like.
Rich with lovely reported stories and musings on the nature of intelligence!
Read from 1/29 to 1/30.
Do animals possess intelligence and emotion? Linden says yes, and after living with three conniving beasts for years, I can't say I disagree.
A fun take on animal communication. Maybe too many he-said, she-said stories for my taste, but a lot of good tidbits. Found it slightly repetitive though.
Less scientific studies and more like pet talk. And my sister knows how I deplore pet talk.
The anecdotes were fun until the author decided to delve into animal telepathy. Then my inner scientist rolled her eyes and skimmed the rest.
There may be more intelligent life on this planet than has been generally accepted & it ain't all found within species homo sapiens. Intriguing, humbling, definately thought-provoking.
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