If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal

Description

“A dazzling, delightful read on what animal cognition can teach us about our own mental shortcomings.”
– Adam Grant"Undeniably entertaining"– The New York Times This funny, "extraordinary and thought-provoking" (The Wall Street Journal) book asks whether we are in fact the superior species. As it turns out, the truth is stranger—and far more interesting—than we have been led to believe.If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal overturns everything we thought we knew about human intelligence, and asks the question: would humans be better off as narwhals? Or some other, less brainy species? There’s a good argument to be made that humans might be a less successful animal species precisely because of our amazing, complex intelligence.
 
All our unique gifts like language, math, and science do not make us happier or more “successful” (evolutionarily speaking) than other species. Our intelligence allowed us to split the atom, but we’ve harnessed that knowledge to make machines of war. We are uniquely susceptible to bullshit (though, cuttlefish may be the best liars in the animal kingdom); our bizarre obsession with lawns has contributed to the growing threat of climate change; we are sexually diverse like many species yet stand apart as homophobic; and discriminate among our own as if its natural, which it certainly is not. Is our intelligence more of a curse than a gift?    
As scientist Justin Gregg persuasively argues, there’s an evolutionary reason why human intelligence isn’t more prevalent in the animal kingdom. Simply put, non-human animals don’t need it to be successful. And, miraculously, their success arrives without the added baggage of destroying themselves and the planet in the process. 
In seven mind-bending and hilarious chapters, Gregg highlights one feature seemingly unique to humans—our use of language, our rationality, our moral systems, our so-called sophisticated consciousness—and compares it to our animal brethren. Along the way, remarkable tales of animal smarts emerge, as you’ll discover: 

The house cat who’s better at picking winning stocks than actual fund managers 

Elephants who love to drink

Pigeons who are better than radiologists at spotting cancerous tissue

Bumblebees who are geniuses at teaching each other soccer

What emerges is both demystifying and remarkable, and will change how you look at animals, humans, and the meaning of life itself.

Justin Gregg is a Senior Research Associate with the Dolphin Communication Project and an Adjunct Professor at St. Francis Xavier University where he lectures on animal behavior and cognition. Originally from Vermont, Justin studied the echolocation abilities of wild dolphins in Japan and The Bahamas. He currently lives in rural Nova Scotia where he writes about science and contemplates the inner lives of the crows that live near his home.  Introduction The human brand of intelligence is really not all that exceptional (from an evolutionary standpoint), and is rarely the best solution for how to live a good life. Animal thinking has a lot to teach humans about how to live well without overthinking things.  Chapter 1: The Why Specialists The human capacity for causal inference is unsurpassed in the animal kingdom. But animals seem to get by just fine (and sometimes even better) without needing to know why things happen. Chapter 2: The Fake News Species Humans are experts are manipulating the thoughts of other humans through lies and deception. Animals, on the other hand, are usually quite honest about their feelings and intentions. But being masters of deception isn’t always as advantageous as it might seem. Chapter 3: To Be or Not to Be an Ant Humans have come a long way since a handful of us left the African continent to explore the Earth a few dozen millennia ago. We’re fantastically populous, for a mammalian species. But we aren’t really designed very well for group living. So many other species have hit on solutions for living well in large numbers that could provide lessons for us newfangled city-dwellers. Chapter 4: The Mystery of the Happy Chicken Conscious awareness is not limited to the human species; there’s every reason to believe that a myriad of animals—from the pets on our sofas right down to the spiders in our basement—experience the world in ways not dissimilar to a human. From a biological standpoint, however, consciousness isn’t really that big of a deal. Chapter 5: Angry Gay Ducks Humans certainly don’t have a monopoly on morality. Other species live by moral codes, too. And when looking at how non-human species deal with problems of right and wrong, or who gets to have sex with whom, or even the best way to fight a war, most species have hit on solutions that call into question the moral superiority of Homo sapiens.  Chapter 6: Death Wisdom Knowledge of our own mortality is arguably a rather crappy knock-on effect of the human brand of intelligence. Other species might well know something of death but are unlikely to dwell on it the way a human poet or philosopher could. Is this kind of death wisdom a good or a bad thing? Chapter 7: Prognostic Myopia Humans excel at predicting and planning for the distant future. No other animal species understand the passage of time like we do. And yet, our minds never evolved to truly feel the future repercussions of our current decisions. Is this skill a benefit or a liability for our species? Chapter 8: Human Exceptionalism Human and animal cognition are not really all that different. In the few areas where humans do something truly exceptional when it comes to intelligence, there is every reason to believe that other species are nonetheless doing a better job than us at living a good life with less complex thinking strategies. Humans could learn a lot from the cognitive solutions offered by those species that are less exceptional than we consider ourselves to be. Epilogue Does the science of animal minds and animal intelligence leave us with a clear understanding of how animals should be treated? Re-thinking the nature of human intelligence and exceptionalism just might provide us with a few signposts showing us why we should also re-think our relationship to the living creatures with whom we share this planet. “If Nietzsche Were A Narwhal makes some extraordinary and thought-provoking points. It is not only engagingly written, but its controversial thesis is worth taking seriously… some of the cognitive concepts introduced… are nothing less than brilliant.”—David P. Barash, Wall Street Journal “A dazzling, delightful read on what animal cognition can teach us about our own mental shortcomings. You won’t just tear through this book in one sitting—you’ll probably want to invite Justin Gregg over for dinner to spend more time inside his brilliant mind. This is one of the best debuts I’ve read in a long time, and I dare you to open it without rethinking some of your basic ideas about intelligence.”
 —Adam Grant, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Think Again “A snappy read: it left me wondering why we don't respect signals of intelligence from other species—and more deeply consider how our own intelligence works against us.”—Amy Brady, Scientific American "I defy you not to be interested by this book–it finds a novel way of getting at very deep questions about who we are and what it means, and does so with clear-eyed compassion and a certain humor that softens the conclusion a bit."
 —Bill McKibben, bestselling author of The End of Nature and Falter “Enlightening! If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal is a hilarious and thrilling look at intelligence that asks: are humans really the best? Gregg will dazzle and sweep you off your feet with his detailed exploration of the animal kingdom and its many secrets. This is an absolute must-read.”—Wednesday Martin, bestselling author of Untrue and Primates of Park Avenue “If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal is a book full of observations as surprising and off-the-beaten-path as its title. It’s scientifically very well informed. But it’s not a treatise—it’s a pleasure.”—Carl Safina, author of Beyond Words and Becoming Wild “If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal is a funny, perceptive book that answers questions we've been told not to ask. Like many of the great sages, Justin Gregg uses animal stories to treat deep questions of consciousness and justice. The result is a deft field guide to the mixed blessings of intelligence and the real possibility that consciousness (and joy) exist perfectly well without it. “
 —William Poundstone, author of How Do You Fight a Horse-Sized Duck? “A sparkling and witty tour of the many minds we share this planet with. Nietzsche might be surprised to find himself contemplated in the company of beasts from narwhals to slugs — but the fascinating and detailed payoff of the cognitive lives of so many animals is immense.”
 —Clive Wynne, author of Dog is Love  “What’s it like to be a bat, a bee, or a bed bug? In this enthralling book, Justin Gregg offers a window into the minds of other creatures, and debunks many of the myths of human exceptionalism. He makes the provocative argument that human thinking may be complex, but it is by no means superior – and its unique qualities could even be the cause of our species’ ultimate downfall. If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal is both a humbling and awe-inspiring read” —David Robson, author of The Intelligence Trap and The Expectation Effect “This is an important book to read if you want to understand animals for what they are – not as cardboard cutouts, or as furry humans. Animal minds aren't in competition with us, although Gregg makes a good case that if they were, they would win hands down. The idea that human intelligence may be nothing more than a failed evolutionary dead end, gives humanity an important challenge to which we must rise.”—Arik Kershenbaum, author of The Zoologist’s Guide to the Galaxy “We’ve heard that a mind is a terrible thing to waste, but have you ever considered that having a human mind is more a bane than a gift? Justin Gregg’s delightful and provocative book melds science with anecdote to explore that question. Read it, have your preconceptions challenged, and feel some humility. It might do you good.”—Jonathan Balcombe, author of Super Fly and What a Fish Knows "I felt dumber after reading this book. Mission accomplished, Justin!"—David Grimm, author of Citizen Canine "Combining first-rate story-telling with the latest research on animal minds and cognitive psychology, If Nietzsche Were A Narwhal is the rare book that will cause readers to think deeply about big questions and moral issues and to laugh out loud on nearly every page. I loved it."—Hal Herzog, author of Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat "A highly original take on the nature of intelligence across life forms. Simultaneously thought-provoking and delightfully humorous, Justin Gregg guides readers into an essential re-thinking of human exceptionalism. This is a welcome upending of all we have been molded to believe about human and other-than-human animal minds."  —Lyanda Lynn Haupt, author of Rooted and Mozart’s Starling “If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal is an unusual, delightful, and entertaining book that will help us achieve a more precise understanding of human nature, counterintuitively by looking at our reflection in light of the clues of conscious behavior expressed by our fellow animals. I loved Dr. Gregg’s book because I learned quite a few interesting things from each chapter. As a scholar, I can offer no higher praise. Highly recommended.”—Oné R. Pagán, author of Drunk Flies and Stoned Dolphins: A Trip Through the World of Animal Intoxication “If Nietzsche were a Narwhal is a beautiful, thought-provoking and often hilarious exploration of this planet’s different kinds of minds. Justin Gregg points out that while many of the hallmarks of human intelligence are also found, in some form, in animals from insects to narwhals, humans are by all means exceptional. But our intelligence is still constrained by our evolutionary history; we may be too intelligent for own good, and too stupid to look after our planet with a sufficiently long-term planning perspective. Gregg’s magnificent book is a poignant reminder that if we don’t raise our game fast, we might once again cede Earth to the rule of insects and other supposedly less intelligent creatures.”—Lars Chittka, author of The Mind of a Bee "Gregg’s clever and provocative book is full of irreverent notions and funny anecdotes…undeniably entertaining."—Jennifer Szalai, The New York Times "Entertaining work of pop science…[If Nietzsche Were a Narwhal] is a lighthearted conceit, and it leads to an enlightening tour of animal behavior…wonderfully accessible and charmingly narrated, this is a fascinating investigation of intellect and cognition."—Publishers Weekly “Gregg shows how increased cognitive skills do not necessarily equate to success…This insightful book provides food for thought and lends credence to that notion… A fascinating take on human intelligence.”—Kirkus Book Reviews "You’ll be laughing and contemplating up a storm in your chaise lounge during this enlightening book that compares the animal kingdom and humans. Dolphin scientist Justin Gregg makes you think about language, mortality, consciousness, and more—opening your eyes to animal parallels. Are we really as smart as we think?" —Men's Journal, Best Summer Reads "A timely, thought-provoking and often sobering book that will make you look at humans, animals and the future of our planet with new eyes." —BookPage "Tackling the topic of intelligence is no small feat. Science writer and researcher Gregg seems up for the challenge, though, relying on a combination of cognitive science, philosophy, and behavioral studies. The science here can be surprising….informative and thought-provoking."—Booklist