Book & podcast collection

The Arrogant Ape: The Myth of Human Exceptionalism and Why It Matters

Primatologist Christine Webb challenges the belief that humans stand outside or above the rest of animal life. She traces how claims of human exceptionalism have shaped science, ethics, and environmental behavior, often encouraging people to dismiss the intelligence, emotion, and social complexity of other species. Drawing on comparative psychology and observations of primates and other animals, Webb shows that many supposedly unique human capacities exist along evolutionary continuums. The book argues that a more accurate understanding of humanity's place in nature can foster humility, improve animal research, and reshape how we respond to ecological crisis.

Publisher: Penguin Publishing Group
Publication date: 2025
Format: Print edition
Pages: 320
ISBN: 9780593543139

Subjects

Human–Animal Studies Evolution Environmental Ethics

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Interview with the Author

4 available interview links

1. Wild Connection — An Arrogant Ape: Human Exceptionalism, Animal Minds, and Rethinking Our Place in Nature with Dr. Christine WebbChecked

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2. The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens — Questioning Human Exceptionalism: How Rethinking Our Place in the Web of Life Could Change Our Global Crises with Christine WebbChecked

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3. OVERSHOOT | Shrink Toward Abundance — Confronting Human Exceptionalism | Christine WebbChecked

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4. NaturallyScott — E35 — Dr. Christine Webb: Rethinking Human Superiority in The Arrogant ApeChecked

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