The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness

by Sy Montgomery

The Buddha denied the existence of persisting selves. At the end of life, the self may dissolve into eternity like salt in the ocean. To some, this might seem distressing. But to lose the lonely self in the ocean of eternity could also be a release, an enlightenment, as the mystics promise.

Do animals—or people—have free will? Though the question remains one of the great philosophical debates of history, if free will does exist, research suggests it exists across species.