Intelligence is one trait that defines us as a species, and given the comparative nature of this characteristic, it makes sense that it is the one ‘inherent’ trait we possess that commands respect. But we cannot always count on the intelligent to make the right choices when it comes to taking a stance. So, what exactly is the problem? And is there a solution?
WHAT I HAVE BEEN READING
At Day’s Close: Night in Times Past (By A. Roger Ekirch) - 531 Pages.
Genre - Social History
Historian A. Roger Ekirch examines the history of nocturnal activity in society in Western Europe, from Scandinavia to the Mediterranean, before the advent of the Industrial Revolution. Ekirch describes how nighttime embodied a distinct culture, with many of its own customs and rituals.
Does it Fart? The Definitive Guide to Animal Flatulence (By Nick Caruso & Dani Rabaiotti) - 145 Pages.
Genre - Animal Biology
At the beginning of 2017, an innocent question on Twitter about snakes formed the hashtag #doesitfart and spread pungently across the internet - and major newspapers - as dozens of experts weighed in on which animals do and don't fart, and if they do, how much, how often, what it's made of, what it smells like, and what it's for.
The Lion in the Living Room: How Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World (By Abigail Tucker) - 247 Pages.
Genre - Evolutionary Biology
Abigail Tucker travels through world history, natural science, and pop culture to meet breeders, activists, and scientists who’ve dedicated their lives to cats. She treks through the Floridian wilderness in search of house cats-turned-hunters on the loose, and hangs out with Lil Bub, one of the world’s biggest celebrities—who just happens to be a cat.
Man the Hunted: Primates, Predators, and Human Evolution (By Donna Hart and Robert W. Sussman) - 376 Pages.
Genre - Paleontology
Although “Man the Hunter” is a popular description of our ancestry, the central importance of hunting is firmly fixed only in the archaeological record of relatively recent human history. This book argues that primates, including the earliest members of the human family, evolved as the prey of any number of predators, including wild cats and dogs, hyenas, snakes, and even birds of prey.
The Aptness of Anger (Academic Paper by Amia Srinivasan) - 24 Pages.
Genre - Philosophy
Read HereThe Contemporary Theory of Metaphor (Academic Paper by George Lakoff) - 26 Pages.
Genre - Philosophy
Read Here.
ANECKDOTE
Every month I'll update you with previews, anecdotes, profiles and insights from the library of science, history, and arts.
Think of it as your knowledge-seeking compass.
SONG OF THE MONTH
To the Forager - Tom Rosenthal
MAR: The Fallibility of the Intelligent Perspective