A leading scientist applies the tools of neuroscience to understand how animals think
Gregory Berns is a distinguished professor of neuroeconomics at Emory University, where he directs the Center for Neuropolicy and Facility for Education and Research in Neuroscience. He is the author of several books, including the New York Times bestseller How Dogs Love Us. He lives in Atlanta.
‘A fascinating overview of a fledgling field, which could lead to
seismic shifts in the ways animals are treated.’
*Mail on Sunday*
‘Groundbreaking research that shows that dog emotions are similar
to people’s… Dog lovers and neuroscientists should both read this
important book.’
*Temple Grandin, author of Animals in Translation and
Animals Make us Human*
‘An informed and humane exploration at the frontiers of animal
sentience.’
*The Times*
‘Berns…is boldly going where no one has gone before, offering a
lively, eye-opening peek into his neuroscience kitchen.’
*Frans de Waal, author of Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart
Animals Are?*
‘Berns has done it again; woven a compelling story with a
scientific revolution. From building an MRI simulator in his living
room to tracking down one of the four remaining brains of the
extinct Tasmanian tiger, Berns takes us on an incredible journey of
exploration and discovery. Marvellously written and intellectually
engaging, What It’s Like to Be a Dog will establish Berns as one of
the most skilled neuroscientists of our day, as well as someone
with the intuition that understanding other animals will lead to
greater insight and knowledge about ourselves.’
*Dr. Brian Hare, bestselling author of The Genius of
Dogs*
‘Have you ever wanted to peek inside the mind of a dog? Gregory
Berns’ brain scanner does precisely that. But this book also
contains many remarkable insights into the inner lives of other
animals. Dolphins, sea lions, raccoons, Tasmanian devils – even the
long-extinct Tasmanian tiger – they’re all here. A fascinating
journey towards an understanding of what dogs – and their mammalian
cousins – might be thinking about us.’
*John Bradshaw, author of the New York Times bestsellers
Dog Sense and Cat Sense*
‘Berns mixes personal stories of dogs and dog lovers with elegant
scientific experiments that show the surprising complexity behind
many canine daily behaviours: a fun, fascinating and illuminating
read.’
*New Scientist*
‘One of the most delightful things about What It’s Like to Be a Dog
is the attention Berns pays to each dog’s individual quirks.’
*New Yorker*
‘Gregory Berns is a remarkable scientist, whose pioneering MRI
studies of the brain across a range of species have opened up a
pathway to deeper understanding of animals’ internal awareness and
perspectives. He’s also an exceptional thinker, whose grasp
of the ethical and practical significance of his findings for the
status and treatment of animals is pervasive in this absorbing
work.’
*Wayne Pacelle, President and CEO, the Humane Society of the United
States*
‘A fascinating read. Packed with personal stories, What It’s Like
to Be a Dog clearly lays out just who these amazing beings are,
from the inside out. We can now learn what each individual animal
wants and needs to have the best life possible in a human-centred
world, and what we must do to make sure they do.’
*Marc Bekoff, University of Colorado, author of The Animals’
Agenda and Canine Confidential*
‘It’s the rare neuroscientist who has the patience and curiosity to
train dogs to hop into an MRI machine, tails wagging. Or delve into
the mysteries of the dolphin brain. Or venture to the far side of
the globe to find the brain of an extinct, yet still fascinating
species: the thylacine. Thankfully, Gregory Berns did all of these
things. In this big-hearted book, he applies cutting-edge science
to questions that have never been so timely: How do other animals
perceive their worlds? How do they experience emotions? How does
their language work? What It’s Like to Be a Dog is a delightful,
illuminating look at the minds and lives of our fellow
creatures.’
*Susan Casey, author of Voices in the Ocean*
‘The author explains that his purpose in writing this book is “to
raise awareness of the mental lives of the animals with whom we
share the planet”. In that, he succeeds. An impressive overview of
modern neurology and the still-unanswered issues raised by our
treatment of our fellow living creatures.’
*Kirkus*
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