A Plea for the Animals
The Moral, Philosophical, and Evolutionary Imperative to Treat All Beings with Compassion
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Narrated by:
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Shaun Grindell
About this listen
A powerful and wide-ranging indictment of the treatment of animals by humans - and an eloquent plea for animal rights
Every cow just wants to be happy. Every chicken just wants to be free. Every bear, dog, or mouse experiences sorrow and feels pain as intensely as any of us humans do. In a compelling appeal to reason and human kindness, Matthieu Ricard here takes the arguments from his best sellers Altruism and Happiness to their logical conclusion: Compassion toward all beings, including our fellow animals, is a moral obligation and the direction toward which any enlightened society must aspire.
He chronicles the appalling sufferings of the animals we eat, wear, and use for adornment or "entertainment" and submits every traditional justification for their exploitation to scientific evidence and moral scrutiny. What arises is an unambiguous and powerful ethical imperative for treating all of the animals with whom we share this planet with respect and compassion.
©2014 Matthieu Ricard; Translation Copyright 2016 by Shambhala Publications, Inc. (P)2018 TantorListeners also enjoyed...
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Most of us take for granted the features of our modern society, from air travel and telecommunications to literacy and obesity. Yet for nearly all of its six million years of existence, human society had none of these things. While the gulf that divides us from our primitive ancestors may seem unbridgeably wide, we can glimpse much of our former lifestyle in those largely traditional societies still or recently in existence.
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A visit with our ancient ancestors
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By: Jared Diamond
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How the Dog Became the Dog
- From Wolves to Our Best Friends
- By: Mark Derr
- Narrated by: David Colacci
- Length: 8 hrs and 22 mins
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That the dog evolved from the wolf is an accepted fact of evolution and history, but the question of how wolf became dog has remained a mystery, obscured by myth and legend. How the Dog Became the Dog posits that dog was an evolutionary inevitability in the nature of the wolf and its human soul mate. The natural temperament and social structure of humans and wolves are so similar that as soon as they met on the trail they recognized themselves in each other.
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Interesting and thorough, but not for everyone
- By N. Rogers on 12-12-11
By: Mark Derr
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On Human Nature: Revised Edition
- By: Edward O. Wilson
- Narrated by: Joe Barrett
- Length: 7 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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This revised edition of Human Nature begins a new phase in the most important intellectual controversy of this generation: Is human behavior controlled by the species' biological heritage? Does this heritage limit human destiny?
With characteristic pungency and simplicity of style, the author of Sociobiology challenges old prejudices and current misconceptions about the nature-nurture debate.
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A Heralding Voice...
- By Douglas on 07-22-14
By: Edward O. Wilson
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Cannibalism
- By: Bill Schutt
- Narrated by: Tom Perkins
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
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Eating one's own kind is a completely natural behavior in thousands of species, including humans. Throughout history we have engaged in cannibalism for reasons related to famine, burial rites, and medicine. Cannibalism has also been used as a form of terrorism and as the ultimate expression of filial piety. With unexpected wit and a wealth of knowledge, Bill Schutt takes us on a tour of the field, exploring exciting new avenues of research and investigating questions like why so many fish eat their offspring and some amphibians consume their mothers' skin.
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Ruined it at the end
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By: Bill Schutt
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Breaking the Spell
- Religion as a Natural Phenomenon
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- Narrated by: Dennis Holland
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For all the thousands of books that have been written about religion, few until this one have attempted to examine it scientifically: to ask why - and how - it has shaped so many lives so strongly. Is religion a product of blind evolutionary instinct or rational choice? Is it truly the best way to live a moral life? Ranging through biology, history, and psychology, Daniel C. Dennett charts religion’s evolution from “wild” folk belief to “domesticated” dogma.
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Great Reader Actually Enhances A Great Book!
- By Don Caliente on 07-14-14
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Moral Tribes
- Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them
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- Narrated by: Mel Foster
- Length: 14 hrs and 53 mins
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A pathbreaking neuroscientist reveals how our social instincts turn Me into Us, but turn Us against Them - and what we can do about it. The great dilemma of our shrinking world is simple: never before have those we disagree with been so present in our lives. The more globalization dissolves national borders, the more clearly we see that human beings are deeply divided on moral lines - about everything from tax codes to sexual practices to energy consumption - and that, when we really disagree, our emotions turn positively tribal.
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Good Science, Bad Philosophy
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The Human Swarm
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In this paradigm-shattering book, biologist Mark W. Moffett draws on findings in psychology, sociology, and anthropology to explain the social adaptations that bind societies. He explores how the tension between identity and anonymity defines how societies develop, function, and fail. Surpassing Guns, Germs, and Steel and Sapiens, The Human Swarm reveals how mankind created sprawling civilizations of unrivaled complexity - and what it will take to sustain them.
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Worthless
- By Richard on 11-24-19
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Population Wars
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From the very beginning, life on Earth has been defined by war. Today, those first wars continue to be fought around and literally inside us, influencing our individual behavior and that of civilization as a whole. War between populations - whether between different species or between rival groups of humans - is seen as an inevitable part of the evolutionary process. The popular concept of "the survival of the fittest" explains and often excuses these actions.
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Life Changing Book. No other like it.
- By Abraham R. Herrick-Rough on 05-16-16
By: Greg Graffin
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The Worm at the Core
- On the Role of Death in Life
- By: Jeff Greenberg, Sheldon Solomon, Tom Pyszczynski
- Narrated by: John Pruden
- Length: 8 hrs and 20 mins
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More than 100 years ago, the American philosopher William James wrote that the knowledge that we must die is "the worm at the core" of the human condition - a universally shared fear that informs all our thoughts and actions, from the great art we create to the devastating wars we wage.
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Skeptical at first, but they won me over.
- By Tory Giddens on 06-07-20
By: Jeff Greenberg, and others
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Blueprint
- The Evolutionary Origins of a Good Society
- By: Nicholas A. Christakis
- Narrated by: Nicholas A. Christakis
- Length: 14 hrs and 55 mins
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For too long, scientists have focused on the dark side of our biological heritage: our capacity for aggression, cruelty, prejudice, and self-interest. But natural selection has given us a suite of beneficial social features, including our capacity for love, friendship, cooperation, and learning. Beneath all our inventions - our tools, farms, machines, cities, nations - we carry with us innate proclivities to make a good society.
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Many interesting thoughts
- By Jonas Blomberg Ghini on 06-01-19
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Bozo Sapiens
- Why to Err Is Human
- By: Michael Kaplan, Ellen Kaplan
- Narrated by: Victor Bevine
- Length: 9 hrs and 46 mins
- Unabridged
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Our species, it appears, is hardwired to get things wrong in myriad different ways. Why did recipients of a loan offer accept a higher rate of interest when a pretty woman's face was printed on the flyer? Why did one poll on immigration find the most despised aliens were ones from a group that did not exist? What made four of the Air Force's best pilots fly their planes, in formation, straight into the ground?
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A tour de force
- By Ivan on 07-05-11
By: Michael Kaplan, and others
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Couldn't listen to this narration
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What listeners say about A Plea for the Animals
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- Susan Weiss
- 01-22-24
Very good research. Very compelling.
A must read for anyone interested in veganism, animal rights, human and planetary health and climate science.
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- Jonathan Knowles
- 03-08-23
An imperative read for any serious animal activist
This book is a necessity for any activist to read who is worth their salt. Matthew systematically moves through the history of animals and humans, every facet, of every argument, every injustice and provides a very solid conclusion that left me with more to think about than I have time for. LISTEN/ READ THIS! 🙏❤️
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- LBH
- 12-30-19
Excellent exploration of various facets of how we relate to animals
I have been a Buddhist for a long time and have been vegetarian off and on. I worries this book would be in your face about animal cruelty. I found this to be a very thoughtful and thorough exploration of yes animal cruelty in industrial farming, but it goes so far beyond that. I found the history of thought in the West and elsewhere regarding animal rights fascinating.
After reading this, I decided joyfully to become vegan (I’ve never tried to give up dairy). None of the arguments to keep eating meat hold up for me. Animals are intelligent, have feelings and should be respected. I don’t want to look the other way anymore, especially when it’s not that hard to find alternatives these days where I live.
Thank you, Matthieu Richard! This is a great book for anyone to listen to. Buddhists especially should listen to this. Compassion for all beings needs to include awareness of the harm we impose on animals and taking steps to reduce that harm.
The narration is excellent and easy to listen to.
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5 people found this helpful
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- Jesse Langel
- 04-21-22
10 Stars, if possible.
Open your eyes and your heart with this. An extremely well-researched work about what we all know is our darkest day as human beings.
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- JK
- 09-27-23
LOTS OF INFORMATION
This is an interesting and sad, chilling book.
A lot of research has gone into this.
Nothing seems to have changed since the day that Upton Sinclair wrote “The Jungle “,
so many years ago.
The narrator was difficult to listen to, but eventually you get used to his way of narrating.
My thanks to all involved, JK.
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- Amazon Customer
- 03-04-20
Essential reading for anyone who believes they are moral and have a conscience.
Excellent book, very well researched and informative. I’m not a vegan or a vegetarian, but have resolved to change my views and behaviour regarding the treatment of animals after reading this compelling book.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Rob Myers
- 12-16-21
I prefer the paperback
Ricard really does his homework. This book is packed with research, as well as emotion. How anyone could read chapter 4 and still eat a burger or chicky-nugget is beyond me.
As an audiobook, it's unlistenable. Some have said it's the narrator's accent, but that's not accurate. I've listened to books, lectures, and colleagues from Ireland, Scotland, England, etc., and never encountered this strange enunciation. The narrator EMPHasizes EVery WORD, upon RANdom SYLlables, making you QUESTION WHEther or NOT you're FEELing the ApPROPRIATE emOtions, GIVen the matERIAL. I'm sure he's a nice fellow, but I got the feeling he wasn't really paying attention to what he was reading. Narrator autopilot.
Also, in audio format, it's very difficult to tell when the narrator is reading a quote in the book. I've heard other narrators (Edoardo Ballerini, whom I like) use a different voice or tenor whenever they read a quote, so you can mostly tell. THIS narrator SOUNDS exACTly the SAME, all the TIME.
Seriously, I would have preferred to hear this book narrated by Alexa. Her enunciation is more natural and more soothing by comparison. (Thanks Alexa! "You are so very welcome! Have a nice evening.")
I stopped listening and bought the paperback. I'll *not* be returning this title, though, because I want to support Ricard in his efforts, any way I can. Besides, I still have sooo many credits to use up! :-D
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2 people found this helpful
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- Trake
- 11-20-19
fantastic listen
I very much enjoyed this book. I will definitely be listening again to soak up some of the facts. oh how I love regurgitating facts.
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- TRBL Sprl
- 11-24-19
Powerful insight
Cultivating compassion beyond species, races, genders...is the Key to annihilate all our common problems.
This book carries an Universal heart's message for all ages, transcend religions and believes.
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- Ellie
- 02-08-20
Bad narrator
The narrator's accent was unbearable and annoying to listen to. I really wanted to like it, but couldn't finish the book.
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