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Humanish: What Talking to Your Cat or Naming Your Car Reveals about the Uniquely Human Need to Humanize

by Justin Gregg

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Why we make the nonhuman feel human

$23.89 USD
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Hardcover New English

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AlbakiReads Editorial

Why we make the nonhuman feel human

Justin Gregg examines anthropomorphism—the tendency to attribute human qualities to animals, objects, and technology—as a force shaping everyday relationships and choices. Drawing on scientific research and unusual examples, the book connects familiar habits, such as treating pets like babies or talking to cars, with larger subjects including consumerism and interactions with AI. It also considers dehumanization as the inverse tendency, and explores how humanizing can support social connection and help people make sense of an unpredictable world. The book’s scope links ordinary acts of imagination to broader questions about how people relate to one another and to the nonhuman things around them.

Good fit for readers who enjoy

  • Readers curious about the psychology and science of anthropomorphism.
  • Readers interested in human relationships with pets, objects, chatbots, and AI.
  • Readers seeking a science-based exploration of humanizing and dehumanizing.

Themes

AnthropomorphismEvolutionary psychologyHuman-animal relationshipsArtificial intelligenceDehumanization

Based on publisher information and book metadata.

Book overview

A playful deep dive into anthropomorphism (our peculiar tendency to humanize the nonhuman) that will resonate with anyone who has thrown a birthday party for their dog.

Bestselling science writer Justin Gregg explores the science behind our instinct to see ourselves in the creatures and objects around us. Ours is a world filled with emotional support alligators, a woman who married her briefcase, and Soviet super babies that drink dolphin milk. Delivered with a delightful mix of scientific insight and humor, Humanish is a groundbreaking exploration of one of the most powerful--but rarely talked about--cognitive biases influencing our behavior.

Through quirky stories and fascinating research, Gregg unravels the reasons behind why we treat our pets like babies, fall in love with chatbots, and talk to our cars. Discover how anthropomorphism drives both consumerism and the coming AI revolution, and how the inverse process, dehumanization, allows us to treat our fellow humans so inhumanely. Explore the brighter side of anthropomorphism's biological benefits--it helps us connect with other humans and make sense of our unpredictable world. Humanish is filled with captivating stories and invaluable ideas of how we can harness our understanding of anthropomorphism to build healthier relationships and enrich our lives.
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