Synopses & Reviews
The discovery that the DNA of chimpanzees and humans is incredibly similar, sharing 98% of the same code, suggests that there is very little different--or special--about the human animal. Likewise, advances in artificial intelligence mean that humans no longer have exclusive access to reason, consciousness and imagination. Indeed, the harder we cling to the concept of humanity, the more slippery it becomes. But if it breaks down altogether, what will this mean for human values, human rights, and the defense of human dignity?
In a book of breathtaking range, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto takes us on an enlightening journey through the history of humankind, a narrative tour de force that challenges our most fundamental belief--that we are, and have always been, human. Humankind confronts the problem from a historical perspective, showing how our current understanding of what it means to be human has been shaken by new discoveries from science and philosophy. The author shows how our concept of humankind has changed over time, tracing its faltering expansion to its present limits and arguing that these limits are neither fixed or scientifically verifiable. Controversially, he proposes that we have further to go in developing our concept of humankind and that we need to rethink it as a matter of urgency.
One of the most imaginative historians writing today, Felipe Fernandez-Armesto here combines astonishing breadth with passionate and exciting storytelling. For the intellectually curious, for those interested in history, philosophy, science and culture, and for anyone who has ever wondered about what makes us human, Humankind offers an exhilarating new perspective.
Review
"Brilliant. In this short tour de force he sets the debate about what it means to be human in an historical perspective-something that has not been done before-and does so in a way that is arrestingly readable. He has used his historical erudition and stylistic grace to produce a little gem that contains a rich array of fascinating and exotic historical examples."--John Gray, author of Straw Dogs
"Impressive and innovative. Few, if any, authors could (or would dare to) cover such a massive topic." --Mark Ridley, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford
"Readers looking for a brisk imaginative workout will want to consider [this]...erudite and beautifully written account of how our human forebears, as far back as we have any evidence, imagined themselves in relation to one another, to the rest of this world, and to the next world."--Boston Globe
"Good food for thought for ethicists and ethologists alike."--Kirkus Reviews
Review
"Brilliant. In this short tour de force he sets the debate about what it means to be human in an historical perspective-something that has not been done before-and does so in a way that is arrestingly readable. He has used his historical erudition and stylistic grace to produce a little gem that contains a rich array of fascinating and exotic historical examples."--John Gray, author of Straw Dogs
"Impressive and innovative. Few, if any, authors could (or would dare to) cover such a massive topic." --Mark Ridley, Department of Zoology, University of Oxford
"Readers looking for a brisk imaginative workout will want to consider [this]...erudite and beautifully written account of how our human forebears, as far back as we have any evidence, imagined themselves in relation to one another, to the rest of this world, and to the next world."--Boston Globe
"Good food for thought for ethicists and ethologists alike."--Kirkus Reviews
About the Author
Felipe Fernández-Armesto is a best-selling author and internationally respected historian. His books include
Millennium: A History of our Last Thousand Years, Truth: A History, and
Civilizations: Culture, Ambition, and the Transformation of Nature. He is Professor of History at Queen Mary and Westfield University.
Table of Contents
Introduction
1. The Animal Frontier
2. Formally Human
3. Human Being or Being Human?
4. The Evolutionary Predicament
5. Post-Human Futures?