

#1746
Mentioned in 15 episodes
Other Minds
The Octopus, the Sea, and the Deep Origins of Consciousness
Book • 2016
In this book, Peter Godfrey-Smith delves into the evolution of intelligence and consciousness, particularly in cephalopods such as octopuses and cuttlefish.
He argues that these creatures represent an independent experiment in the evolution of large brains and complex behavior, distinct from the evolutionary paths of vertebrates.
Godfrey-Smith draws on his own scuba-diving experiences and the latest scientific research to explore how these animals' unique neural structures, including decentralized brain-like systems in their arms, enable their remarkable intelligence and adaptability.
The book also reflects on the broader implications for understanding human consciousness and the nature of subjective experience.
He argues that these creatures represent an independent experiment in the evolution of large brains and complex behavior, distinct from the evolutionary paths of vertebrates.
Godfrey-Smith draws on his own scuba-diving experiences and the latest scientific research to explore how these animals' unique neural structures, including decentralized brain-like systems in their arms, enable their remarkable intelligence and adaptability.
The book also reflects on the broader implications for understanding human consciousness and the nature of subjective experience.
Mentioned by



























Mentioned in 15 episodes
Mentioned by 

, who was reading it, as a philosopher working in philosophy of biology.


Joe Folley

843 snips
#974 - Joe Folley - Existential Philosophy, Nietzsche, Suffering & Self-Awareness
Mentioned by 

when discussing octopus minds and subjective experience.


Gregg Henriques

99 snips
EP 273 Gregg Henriques on the Unified Theory of Knowledge
Mentioned by 

as part of a three-part trilogy of books by 

.


Alex O'Connor


Peter Godfrey-Smith

74 snips
#116 Peter Godfrey Smith - Animal Consciousness: What Can We Know?
Recommended by 

as a fantastic book about octopuses.


Johann Hari

57 snips
Johann Hari - Everything You Think You Know About Meaning & Happiness Is Wrong
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as one of her favorite books, exploring the origins of consciousness and intelligence through octopuses.

Luisa Rodriguez

47 snips
#203 – Peter Godfrey-Smith on interfering with wild nature, accepting death, and the origin of complex civilisation
Mentioned by 

as the first book in a trilogy about octopuses and what they teach us about thinking.


Sean Carroll

43 snips
249 | Peter Godfrey-Smith on Sentience and Octopus Minds
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

, quoting Peter Godfrey-Smith's book, to highlight the evolutionary perspective on the short lifespan of octopuses and their intelligence.

Caroline Roper

24 snips
90: Octopuses & The Paralympics
Mentioned by 

, in which he explores the combination of distance and contact with animals like the octopus.


Peter Godfrey-Smith

18 snips
How other species challenge our idea of consciousness | Peter Godfrey-Smith
Mentioned in the episode description as the next book to be reviewed.

13 snips
Supplementary Material 24: Dialogos with Greek Gods, the Metaphysics of Pepe, and Red-Pilled Embarrassment
Recommended by ![undefined]()

for its philosophically deep and scientifically informed reflection on consciousness in octopuses.

Tim Bayne

13 snips
Can we measure consciousness?
Mentioned during a book club discussion.

Supplementary Material 25: Ancient Pyramids, Sesame Street Monsters, & MORE Lab Leak Discourse
Recommended by ![undefined]()

for its exploration of octopus consciousness and the evolution of consciousness.

Deblina Bhattacharjee

439: Deep Learning for Machine Vision
Mentioned by 

as the basis for the podcast episode.


Robinson Erhardt

240 - Peter Godfrey-Smith: Cuttlefish, Octopuses, and the Consciousness of Mysterious Minds
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as one of 

's books.

Martin Lercher


Peter Godfrey-Smith

68 | Peter Godfrey-Smith and middle class science
Mentioned by ![undefined]()

as a book about octopuses, highlighting their intelligence and alien-like nature.

Tom Lum

72: Former Cryptids & The Art of a Scary Story
Recommended by Maureen Tessier for its exploration of octopus intelligence and unique perspectives on the world.

479: Knowledge Graphs
Recommended by ![undefined]()

as a relatively easy read delving into a very deep point about consciousness.

Nicholas Shea

Concepts: How the Brain Constructs Reality, Emotional Experience and Who You Are - w/ Nicholas Shea
Mentioned by 

as a book that everyone should read.


Coleman Ruiz

#14 Harry Moffitt, Director of MCTI_Australia & New Zealand Takes the Mic
Mentioned by 

as one of his favorite books about the mind.


Marcin Zaremba

Co wpłynęło na nas w 2024 roku - nr 38
Mentioned by 

as a book still relevant in the far future about the appreciation of other human minds.


Alexis Madrigal

Exploited Robots and a Commitment to Community Populate 2060’s San Francisco in Annalee Newitz’s ‘Automatic Noodle’