Humanish: How Anthropomorphism Makes Us Smart, Weird and Delusional

By: Justin Gregg

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Synopsis: Ever glanced at your cat and wondered if they were plotting something? Or passed a car and thought it seemed &‘friendly&’, &‘surprised&’ or &‘angry&’ depending on the shape of its headlights? Anthropomorphism – the irresistible desire to apply human characteristics to animals, natural phenomena and even inanimate objects – is as natural as breathing. And it gets weirder… Million-dollar industries have sprung up to provide &‘cosmetic enhancements&’ for dogs who&’ve had the snip – their (inevitably male) owners wracked with guilt that their pets might be missing out on… something. Similarly, Justin Gregg, a researcher with the Dolphin Communication Project, regularly receives emails from mothers-to-be convinced that dolphins would make excellent midwives (spoiler alert: they definitely wouldn&’t). Diving into the strange way anthropomorphism shapes our understanding of the world, Gregg offers an eye-opening journey through human perception. From cinema&’s obsession with talking animals to the way we interact with our soon-to-be robot overlords, Humanish takes a hilarious journey through the strange world of anthropomorphism and explores what it reveals about this weird and wonderful bias within us all.

Book Quality:: Publisher Quality
Book Size:: 304 Pages
ISBN-13:: 9780861549832
Publisher:: Oneworld Publications
Date of Addition:: 09/25/25
Copyrighted By:: Justin Gregg
Adult content:: No
Language:: English
Has Image Descriptions:: No
Categories:: Nonfiction, Science, Animals, Psychology, Social Studies, Law, Legal Issues and Ethics
Submitted By:: Bookshare Staff
Usage Restrictions:: This is a copyrighted book.