The Animal and the Thinker

Summary

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Why are we so often in conflict—arguing with ourselves and with others, uncertain over who we are and what we need from our lives?

In The Animal and The Thinker, the world-leading, pioneering neuroscientist John Duncan explains that each of us is not just one person – we are two. On one side are our animal instincts, built on the sophisticated needs of human life through evolution, but struggling to navigate the complexity of modern life. On the other side is our rational brain which calculates and cogitates, but is often helpless in the face of bigger questions of meaning and purpose.

Dovetailing these two competing sides of ourselves, Duncan draws on a lifetime’s pioneering work to attack puzzles that have concerned thinkers, writers and philosophers through human history. Right and wrong. Freedom and responsibility. Women and men. Democracy and justice. Ambition and fulfilment. Understanding how these two sides of ourselves interact offers revealing and often surprising answers to some of the great questions of our lives.

Discover a new perspective on human behaviour, and learn how we can better understand ourselves, our struggles, and our search for meaning.

© John Duncan 2025 (P) Penguin Audio 2025