Amazon.co.uk Review
John Gray's Straw Dogs attempts to present a world view in which humans are not central and which argues against the humanist belief in progress. The heart of the book is summed up in the idea that modern humanists have still not come to terms with Darwin, still not come to terms with the idea that humans are like other animals. Christians and modern humanists in the Platonic-Cartesian tradition typically think of humans enjoying a special relationship to God, or a special status in nature in a way that other animals do not. Even the great debunkers--philosophers such as Nietzsche, Wittgenstein and Heidegger--end up making human beings the centre of things or the end point of some world-historical process. By contrast, in a Taoist, Shinto, Hindu or animist culture Darwin's discovery would have been easily accommodated since these faiths see humans and other animals as kin.

In short, for Gray, humanism is nothing more than "a secular religion thrown together from decaying scraps of Christian myth". Gray champions James Lovelock's view of the Earth as a self-regulating system whose behaviour resembles, in some ways, that of an organism. The Gaia hypothesis is the backdrop to Gray's apparently relentless pessimism about the fate of humankind. What it teaches us is that this self-regulating system has no need of humanity, does not exist for the sake of humanity, and will regulate itself in ignorance of humanity's fate.

Straw Dogs can be usefully compared with Mary Midgely's excellent Science and Poetry since both take off from the view of man as animal while sharing similar views about the cultural role of philosophy. Both encourage us to overcome the Platonic-Cartesian-Kantian philosophical tradition while stressing the importance of Gaia in emphasising our essential continuity with the physical and natural world. For Gray, humans "think they are free, conscious beings, when in truth they are deluded animals". Straw Dogs could have been made to stretch for 500 large pages. Instead you get 200 small pages of gold; simple, concise, riveting.--Larry Brown

Also in my permanent collection.

This is my first ever bookring!

Now I have five participants I shall get this ring started, although it does remain open. If anyone new wants to join, please just send me a PM.

*User (*Country/*Shipping)

1. Alvhyttan (Sweden/Europe)
2. vexter (Slovenia/Europe)
3. nora-nora (Switzerland/Anywhere) <<<< the original book is/was here - 23-10-2006
4. DJgib (UK/Europe)
5. samulli (Germany/Int)
6. map-maker (UK/?) <<<< the replacement book is here - 13-03-2007
...and back to me!

Just got this book in my mail, thanks bandaids!
It looks really interesting and I will start reading it tonight.

It took me some time to finish this book, it’s an easy read, but there are a lot of things to ponder upon and that took me a lot of time.
In all an interesting book, I got a little irritated some times over some generalisations, but I guess that happens trying to get a lot of things said in an easy and short way.
I have to say that I’m not shocked (some reviews say that this book will shoch most readers); most of those thoughts are in the minds of me and some of my friends, but I still consider myself as a green (ecological) humanist. It will be interesting to see if I will do that, call myself a humanist, during the rest of my life.

Thank you so much for doing a ring with this book bandaids!
I have sent it to vexter today.

Now I’m going to concentrate on the BC-“September You're Such an Animal Release Challenge”. I will go to a Zoo and release some books and take the opportunity to observe some animals. ;)

Edited after being to the zoo: I have now studied some animals. In front of a swimming pool there where this information board about humans, see pic.

The book has arrived safely and is currently on my nightstand, patiently awaiting its turn. :) I promise it won't take too long!

Well, this took longer than expected. Yes, I've been busy, but it's a book you don't really gulp down in one sitting. I've read a couple of chapters every day, and took time to think about them. I think the book is fantastic. My only problem with it is that it raises more questions than it answers, at least for me. I have enough questions of my own, thank you! :) Now, after reading this book, I'm wondering if Taoism would have more answers for me?

I already have nora-nora's address and will post the book tomorrow.

the book arrived at my place on friday. it took a little longer because i moved to france and my brother had to send it to me. i think it would be best if i send it to DJgib without reading it and you add me at the end of the list again, otherwise it's gonna take too long... sorry for this!

So this ring seems to have been a little... held up.
I'm in the process of organising a replacement copy, and am taking nora-nora out of the list because I can't reach her.

The replacement copy is here, and will be on its way to DJgib today.