The Philosopher's Dog

Gaita, Raimond

ISBN 10: 1877008273 / ISBN 13: 9781877008276

Published by Text Publishing, Melbourne, 2002

About this Item

A collection of stories and musings on various animals, and theories as to why human's enjoy the company of animals so much. Size: Octavo (standard book size). Text body is clean, and free from previous owner annotation, underlining and highlighting. Binding is tight, covers and spine fully intact. No foxing in this copy. Edges browned slightly. Multiple copies available this title. Quantity Available: 2. Shipped Weight: Under 1 kilogram. Category: Philosophy; ISBN: 1877008273. ISBN/EAN: 9781877008276. All our pictures shown here are of the actual item, not stock photos. Inventory No: 18740. For further info on this title, click on the "Contact Seller" button within this listing. We will try to reply within 24 hours. Otherwise you can order right now (inclusive of shipping options) from the "Add to Basket" button to the right.

Seller Inventory # 18740

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Philosopher's Dog
• Publisher: Text Publishing, Melbourne
• Publication Date: 2002
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 1877008273
• ISBN 13: 9781877008276
• Binding: Softcover (with flaps)
• Edition: First Edition.
• Condition: Very Good
• Dust Jacket Condition: No Dust Jacket
• Seller catalogs:
  • Philosophy

About this title

Synopsis

Rare book

From the Inside Flap

The philosopher Raimond Gaita has always been fascinated by animals- their obvious intelligence and disturbing brutality, their uncanny responsiveness to our moods and needs, the deep feelings they elicit from us and seem to return. In this marvelous, luminous book, Gaita trains the lens of philosophy on the mystery and beauty of the animals he has known and loved best. The Philosopher's Dog is one of those rare works that engage the heart from the very first paragraph and haunt the mind long after one has finished reading.
What does Gaita's dog, Gypsy, think about while she sits on her mat gazing out to sea for hours on end? Why did the irascible cockatoo Jack greet Gaita's father with kisses each morning but bite everyone else? How can we acknowledge that animals are sentient and yet deny that they have consciousness? Is it possible to love animals and still eat meat? In contemplating questions like these, Gaita weaves together personal stories-inspiring, sometimes heartbreaking accounts about the animals he and his family members have sheltered-with the reflections and analysis of a professional philosopher.
A graceful, engaging stylist, Gaita is perfectly lucid as he grapples with great thinkers through the ages-from Socrates to Wittgenstein, Descartes to Hannah Arendt. And yet, as important as formal philosophy has been to him, Gaita frankly acknowledges that he has learned much about the nature of life from Gypsy and Jack and his courageously arrogant cat Tosca. In the end, he argues that love should be the essence of our bond with animals, the critical factor that guides how we treat them and think about their place in our world.
In pondering the meaning and moralityof his relationships with animals, and with the natural world more generally, Raimond Gaita has created a surprising masterpiece, a book of startling insights, spellbinding stories, meticulous observations, and wise reflection. At once engrossing and thought-provoking, The Philosopher's Dog is a supremely enjoyable book.

"From the Hardcover edition.