New Books in Science

Other Minds with Peter Godfrey-Smith (EF, JP)


Listen Later

Peter Godfrey-Smith knows his cephalopods. Once of CUNY and now a professor of history and philosophy of science at University of Sydney, his truly capacious career includes books such as Theory and Reality (2003; 2nd edition in 2020), Darwinian Populations and Natural Selection (2009) and most recently Metazoa. RtB--including two Brandeis undergraduates as guest hosts, Izzy Dupré and Miriam Fisch--spoke with him back in October 2021 about his astonishing book on the fundamental alterity of octopus intelligence and experience of the world, Other Minds: The Octopus, the Sea and the Deep Origins of Consciousness. Another equally descriptive title for that book, and for the discussion we share with you here (after Thomas Nagel's "What is it like to be a Bat?") might be What is it Like to be an Octopus?

As always, below you will find helpful links for the works referenced in the episode, and a transcript for those who prefer or require a print version of the conversation. Please visit us at Recallthisbook.org (or even subscribe there) if you are interested in helpful bonus items like related short original articles, reading lists, visual supplements and past episodes grouped into categories for easy browsing.

Mentioned in the Episode:

  • Adrian Tchaikovsky, Children of Ruin
  • "Open the pod bay doors, Hal": a chilling line from 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
  • District Nine (2009, dir. Neill Bloomkamp) in which giant intelligent shrimp from outer space play the role of octopus-like alien intelligence, and prompt a complex but unmistakably racist reaction on their arrival in South Africa.
  • Charles Darwin, The Expression of the Emotions in Man and Animals (1872)
  • Erik Linklater, Pirates in the Deep Green Sea (1949)

  • Listen and Read Here.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    Support our show by becoming a premium member! https://newbooksnetwork.supportingcast.fm/science

    ...more
    View all episodesView all episodes
    Download on the App Store

    New Books in ScienceBy New Books Network

    • 4.4
    • 4.4
    • 4.4
    • 4.4
    • 4.4

    4.4

    13 ratings


    More shows like New Books in Science

    View all
    Radiolab by WNYC Studios

    Radiolab

    43,837 Listeners

    Freakonomics Radio by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

    Freakonomics Radio

    32,246 Listeners

    New Books in Philosophy by New Books Network

    New Books in Philosophy

    110 Listeners

    HistoryExtra podcast by Immediate

    HistoryExtra podcast

    3,196 Listeners

    New Books in History by Marshall Poe

    New Books in History

    211 Listeners

    New Books in Military History by Marshall Poe

    New Books in Military History

    160 Listeners

    New Books in Political Science by New Books Network

    New Books in Political Science

    62 Listeners

    New Books in Anthropology by New Books Network

    New Books in Anthropology

    52 Listeners

    New Books in Economics by Marshall Poe

    New Books in Economics

    26 Listeners

    New Books in Religion by New Books Network

    New Books in Religion

    28 Listeners

    Making Sense with Sam Harris by Sam Harris

    Making Sense with Sam Harris

    26,380 Listeners

    New Books in Psychoanalysis by Marshall Poe

    New Books in Psychoanalysis

    191 Listeners

    Ideas by CBC

    Ideas

    393 Listeners

    New Books in African American Studies by New Books Network

    New Books in African American Studies

    165 Listeners

    New Books in Intellectual History by New Books Network

    New Books in Intellectual History

    64 Listeners

    Jacobin Radio by Jacobin

    Jacobin Radio

    1,460 Listeners

    Science Vs by Spotify Studios

    Science Vs

    12,130 Listeners

    Science Friday by Science Friday and WNYC Studios

    Science Friday

    6,467 Listeners

    The Daily by The New York Times

    The Daily

    113,121 Listeners

    Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas by Sean Carroll

    Sean Carroll's Mindscape: Science, Society, Philosophy, Culture, Arts, and Ideas

    4,167 Listeners

    Interesting Times with Ross Douthat by New York Times Opinion

    Interesting Times with Ross Douthat

    7,244 Listeners

    The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway by Vox Media Podcast Network

    The Prof G Pod with Scott Galloway

    5,610 Listeners

    People I (Mostly) Admire by Freakonomics Radio + Stitcher

    People I (Mostly) Admire

    2,030 Listeners

    The Rest Is History by Goalhanger

    The Rest Is History

    15,506 Listeners

    The Ezra Klein Show by New York Times Opinion

    The Ezra Klein Show

    16,525 Listeners