The Happiness of Dogs
Why the Unexamined Life Is Most Worth Living
Format:Paperback
Publisher:Granta Books
Publishing:14th Aug '25
£10.99
This title is due to be published on 14th August, and will be despatched as soon as possible.
A ground-breaking exploration of a dog's experience of the world and how they can help us understand ourselves better, from the author of The Philosopher and the Wolf.
If a dog could write a book of philosophy, what would it contain? If you have spent part of your life with a dog, you may find certain questions popping, unbidden, into your mind. Is my dog living a fulfilled life? Is my dog a good dog? Does my dog love me? This, however only scratches the surface of a canine philosophy. Drawing on his life lived with dogs (two German shepherds, the amiable Hugo and his dark twin Shadow; Brenin, a wolf hybrid, and Tess his wolf dog daughter; and Nina, a German shepherd/malamute mix), on the ideas of philosophers from Socrates to Hume and Sartre, and on the cutting edge psychology of canine cognition, philosopher Mark Rowlands explores the way dogs experience the world to bring us closer to an understanding of ourselves. While dogs feel unparalleled joy and focus in the moment, humans are burdened by the disquietude of anxiety, doubt and even anguish. Happiness for dogs can be achieved in the daily chase of a squirrel, for humans it is much more elusive. Digging deep into their morality, freedoms, consciousness, intelligence and love of life, Rowlands discovers that dogs have a unique way of existing which amounts to a different philosophical outlook altogether - if they could write such a thing - and that they may have better answers to the meaning of life than we do.
Writing with zest, humor and passion, Rowlands blends delightful vignettes of his beloved dogs with fresh and radical answers to some of the oldest questions in ethics. This is a book everyone interested in animals and philosophy must read -- John Gray, author of The New Leviathans
One of the most engaging and enjoyable works on philosophy (and, for that matter, dogs) I've ever read. Wise, profound, often very funny, I loved every page -- Anthony McGowan
A masterclass in canine philosophy ... A professor of philosophy and a serial dog owner, Rowlands has written a profound and funny examination of what it means to be fulfilled, both for canines and humans. By the end, you will envy your dog's every waking moment * Guardian *
A lovely meditation on what it's like in our canine companions' heads... At turns sad and profound... Dogs, Rowlands says, "love their lives more than we love ours", which seems very true, and quite heartbreaking * Observer *
A fascinating take on what it is like to live like a dog. It touches on the unique bond between humans and their companions, tackles such big questions as the meaning of life and goes on to explore experiments into animal consciousness * New Scientist *
The message from this gentle and compelling book is that in times of moral quandary we could do worse than ask: what would a dog do? * New Statesman *
Even when unpacking nuanced philosophical arguments, Rowlands is such a persuasive writer that he's a constant joy to read...The journey the reader goes on with Rowlands and his loveable assortment of dogs is at once thought-provoking, entertaining and compelling * Entertainment Focus *
Humans, writes Mark Rowlands, 'think we are smart because we think so much about everything all the time. Dogs think they are smart because they don't think about everything all the time.' He argues that the dogs are right. I agree with him -- Mark Mason * Daily Mail *
Just like a novel, a good non-fiction book can change the way you look at the world ... The Happiness of Dogs by Mark Rowlands does just that ... It blends personal experience with some serious philosophical inquiry, a mix that Rowlands judges perfectly, with frequent chuckles and head-scratching, thought-provoking moments in equal measure * Big Issue *
ISBN: 9781803510330
Dimensions: unknown
Weight: unknown
256 pages