Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior
by Temple Grandin, Catherine Johnson
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Book Summary Information
Author: Catherine Johnson, Temple GrandinEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Published)
Format: Bargain Price
Published: 2006-01-02
ISBN: N/A
Number of pages: 372
Publisher: Harvest Books
Book Reviews of Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior
Book Review: Amazing, novel insight
Summary: 5 Stars
The author explains the differences between animal and normal human thinking in terms of the autistic person.
First, the numerous theories she posits seem far-out but plausible. She supports her explanations with plentiful citations, classical reasoning, plain language, her own life experiences, and humor.
Second, it is a book of many amazing intersecting stories that are woven together beautifully. It's so incredibly fascinating because it strikes the reader thet the author is an exceptionally rare key with which to unlock and illuminate the mysteries of animal behavior and thought in terms of a substantially more accessible mystery, the behavior, experiences and thought of an autistic person. This is a book about autism, animal cognition, evolution, brain structure (human and animal), and anthropology, and the scientific method.
Third, she explains her reasoning and the logical conclusions of supporting and oppositional research in such a way as to make the actual experimentation a fascinating topic unto itself.
The style is completely unique to anything I've read. It's a little clunky at times, but at the same time highly descriptive and engaging in a way that I expect would ordinarily be difficult for such a distinguished researcher who has been immersed in academia. She is supremely confident in her achievements and abilities but completely transparent in acknowledgement of her own limitations. In fact she seems truly grateful for her own limitations as the optic through which to perceive and understand the deep mysteries of animal behavior that most of us have been exposed to but never grasped.
While I don't think her explanation of brain function (reptilian/mammalian/human and the structures and functions that differentiate them) is new, it is very easy to grasp, and it gives tremendous insight that can be applied beyond the topics she presents.
I could not recommend this book any more highly. It is absolutely fascinating, one of the very few books I've read that I'm sure I'll read again.
My perspective is that of a complete lay person when it comes to psychology, neurology, animal behavior, evolution, autism, etc.
Summary of Animals in Translation: Using the Mysteries of Autism to Decode Animal Behavior
I don't know if people will ever be able to talk to animals the way Doctor Doolittle could, or whether animals will be able to talk back. Maybe science will have something to say about that. But I do know people can learn to "talk" to animals, and to hear what animals have to say, better than they do now. --From Animals in Translation
Why would a cow lick a tractor? Why are collies getting dumber? Why do dolphins sometimes kill for fun? How can a parrot learn to spell? How did wolves teach man to evolve? Temple Grandin draws upon a long, distinguished career as an animal scientist and her own experiences with autism to deliver an extraordinary message about how animals act, think, and feel. She has a perspective like that of no other expert in the field, which allows her to offer unparalleled observations and groundbreaking ideas.
People with autism can often think the way animals think, putting them in the perfect position to translate "animal talk." Grandin is a faithful guide into their world, exploring animal pain, fear, aggression, love, friendship, communication, learning, and, yes, even animal genius. The sweep of Animals in Translation is immense and will forever change the way we think about animals.
*includes a Behavior and Training Troubleshooting Guide
Why would a cow lick a tractor? Why are collies getting dumber? Why do dolphins sometimes kill for fun? How can a parrot learn to spell? How did wolves teach man to evolve? Temple Grandin draws upon a long, distinguished career as an animal scientist and her own experiences with autism to deliver an extraordinary message about how animals act, think, and feel. She has a perspective like that of no other expert in the field, which allows her to offer unparalleled observations and groundbreaking ideas.
People with autism can often think the way animals think, putting them in the perfect position to translate "animal talk." Grandin is a faithful guide into their world, exploring animal pain, fear, aggression, love, friendship, communication, learning, and, yes, even animal genius. The sweep of Animals in Translation is immense and will forever change the way we think about animals.
*includes a Behavior and Training Troubleshooting Guide
Among its provocative ideas, the book:
- argues that language is not a requirement for consciousness--and that animals do have consciousness
- applies the autism theory of "hyper-specificity" to animals, showing that animals and autistic people are so sensitive to detail that they "can't see the forest for the trees"--a talent as well as a "deficit"
- explores the "interpreter" in the normal human brain that filters out detail, leaving people blind to much of the reality that surrounds them--a reality animals and autistic people see, sometimes all too clearly
- explains how animals have "superhuman" skills: animals have animal genius
- compares animals to autistic savants, declaring that animals may in fact be autistic savants, with special forms of genius that normal people do not possess and sometimes cannot even see
- examines how humans and animals use their emotions to think, to decide, and even to predict the future
- reveals the remarkable abilities of handicapped people and animals
- maintains that the single worst thing you can do to an animal is to make it feel afraid
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