Host Dave Schlom is joined by British author Michael Bond, author of the new book, Animate: How Animals Shape the Human Mind. Bond specializes in writing about psychology and human behavior and in this masterful work, he goes back to the very beginnings of humanity's relationship with the animal world.
From the magnificent cave paintings in places like Lascaux, France, Bond explores what we can learn about our earliest thoughts about wild creatures through prehistoric art.
After that he takes us through history from Ancient Greek and Roman thinkers to the medieval period to explore what he calls, "the Great Divide," when humans began to think of animals as both "other" and less than us.
The notion that the species homo sapiens is somehow at the pinnacle of evolution is now being examined more and more closely by scientists and free thinkers alike. From our fear and loathing of wolves (which is once again an issue as wild wolves have been returning to the western U.S.) to our love of our dogs and cats, Animate is a tour de force and a fascinating journey.
