Drawing the Line: Science and the Case for Animal Rights [Paperback]

Steven M. Wise (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 13, 2003 | Series: A Merloyd Lawrence Book

Are we ready for parrots and dolphins to be treated as persons before the law? In this unprecedented exploration of animal cognition along the evolutionary spectrum-from infants and children to other intelligent primates, from dolphins, parrots, elephants, and dogs to colonies of honeybees-Steve Wise finds answers to the big question in animal rights today: Where do we draw the line? Readers will be enthralled as they follow Wise's firsthand account of the world's most famous animal experts at work: Cynthia Moss and the touchingly affectionate families of Amboseli; Irene Pepperberg and her amazing and witty African Grey parrot, Alex; and Penny Paterson with the formidable gorilla Koko. In many cases, Wise was able to sustain an extended conversation with these extraordinary creatures. No one with even a shred of curiosity about animal intelligence or justice will want to miss this book.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Whether or not one accepts Wise's premise that certain animal species meet the law's criteria for personhood, his book is a fascinating examination of animal behavior and intelligence. Crammed with data, case studies and reports from the field, it engages the reader in a thoughtful debate about the place of animals in a world dominated by humans. Not only does Wise (Rattling the Cage) know how to build a logical argument for legal rights for some animals, he also knows how to tell a good story. From early morning forays in Ugandan mountain forests, where he observes the complex behavior and social structure of chimpanzees, to the MIT Media Lab, where he chronicles the astounding mental agility of its resident parrot-scholar, Alex, Wise strengthens his case and intrigues the reader with his tales. The narrative includes creatures both exotic (the loving family groups of elephants in Kenya) and common (our beloved companion dogs) and there's even the occasional animal celebrity (Wise visits Koko the gorilla and her teacher, Penny Patterson, and has a somewhat stilted but still very incredible conversation with the primate). Readers who have in the past dismissed the arguments for animal rights as trivial or foolish may not be persuaded to the opposite view, but they will find some of their assumptions strongly challenged. For those who already champion animal rights, this book will further convince them of their just cause.
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

From Library Journal

A pioneer in the field of animal rights law and author of Rattling the Cage, Wise has written yet another groundbreaking book a page-turner for anyone even remotely interested in the legal status of nonhuman animals. He has devised a taxonomy that allows him (and us) to consider whether an animal possesses self-awareness and has mental abilities, desires, and intentions that resemble those of humans. Using this tool, Wise studies various species, including African Grey parrots, dogs, chimpanzees, dolphins, and even human children to determine whether they are entitled to recognition as legal persons with rights and dignity. His conclusions are based on observation, experiments, and the thinking of such well-known ethologists and neuroscientists as Roger Fouts, Irene Pepperberg, Donald Griffin, and Antonio Damasio. The result is a provocative and solidly grounded book. Essential for all libraries. Peggie Partello, Keene State Coll. Lib., NH
Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 336 pages
• Publisher: Basic Books (May 13, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0738208108
• ISBN-13: 978-0738208107
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 5.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.7 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #881,801 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ending the slavery: it has happened before, August 7, 2002

By 

Lisa (Toronto Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Drawing the Line: Science and the Case for Animal Rights (Hardcover)

Like the critics of slavery abolitionists who asserted that efforts were better spent helping poor young chimney sweeps than African slaves, there will be those who argue that instead of concerning ourselves with the plight of nonhuman animals, we should concentrate on making the world a better place for starving people in Africa, diseased humans, etc. (There is nothing wrong with advancing worthy human causes, but some folks don't seem to realized they can be pursued simultaneously with nonhuman animal causes.) Steven Wise launches a convincing argument that nonhuman animals are remarkably similar to humans on many quantifiable levels, and that some nonhumans may therefore be justified in sharing basic rights with humans.

Among all the cited cases documenting the complex web of human-like (as well as unique) traits among dolphins, honeybees, orangutans, dogs, gorillas, African grey parrots, elephants (and from his previous book, chimpanzees and bonobos), I found one case most interesting. As an economist, I was particularly bemused to discover that orangutans have displayed an understanding of economic value! The author describes the orangutans Azy and Indah who were given bamboo tools to use in public demonstrations. After a demonstration, a human could only retrieve the bamboo tools from the orangutans in exchange for proper compensation. Offering the orangutans a sunflower seed was sufficient payment for a small piece of bamboo. Obtaining a large piece cost much more: an entire walnut. Shrewd bargainers, those orangutans were, and capable of very abstract thinking!

The book is filled with evidence of nonhuman intelligence, emotion, and language (making it an excellent companion to Joan Dunayer's book Animal Equality: Language and Liberation). The evidence ranges from anecdotal to experimental. The author quotes biologist Bernd Heinrich who says "We can't credibly claim that one species is more intelligent than another unless we quantify intelligent with respect to what, since each animal lives in a different world of its own sensory inputs and decoding mechanisms of those inputs." Having demonstrated that nonhuman animals can score highly on tests designed to measure human intelligence, surely we have only scratched the surface.

The stated goal of this book (and Wise's previous book) is to rattle the legal profession into extending basic rights to beings other than humans. Thanks to Steven Wise, I am confident that will happen, now sooner rather than later. As he says, "human slavery was once as firmly entrenched as nonhuman animal slavery is today." There is hope.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Succeeds brilliantly, June 24, 2003

By 

Malvin (Frederick, MD USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Drawing the Line: Science and the Case for Animal Rights (Paperback)

Steven M. Wise's "Drawing the Line" presents a compelling argument for recognizing the rights of "nonhuman" animals. As a lawyer who has taught at Harvard and has championed animal rights for over twenty years, Mr. Wise directs our attention in this book to some of the recent scientific studies pertaining to animal intelligence. The evidence strongly suggests that at least some species qualify for dignity rights and other legal protections.

Mr. Wise provides introductory chapters that succinctly defines the struggle for animal rights. The author compares the historic practice of slavery with today's plight of nonhuman animals. Deep-rooted socioeconomic practices conspired to keep slavery alive for most of human history; today, animal slavery is fueled by longstanding cultural and economic forces. Consequently Mr. Wise approaches the daunting task of animal liberation with eyes wide open. He has written this book as a strategic move to further our understanding and with the hope of advancing the struggle.

To that end, I would have to say that Mr. Wise has succeeded brilliantly. The author employs a sound methodology to persuade us of the merits of his case. Mr. Wise rank-orders the intelligence of nonhuman animals by utilizing Piaget's well-known theories pertaining to the study of early childhood development. Consequently most of the chapters in the book are devoted to the study of specific animals (such as Koko the gorilla) who might represent the innate abilities of their respective species. You will be intrigued with how Mr. Wise utilizes Piagetian measures such as mirror self-recognition tests in order to compare animal performances with human intelligence.

I think that nearly everyone who reads this book with an open mind will be persuaded that at least a few species do indeed display the characteristics of "practical autonomy" that should assure them of rights under the law. Mr. Wise visits with leading researchers to demonstrate the mental acuities of specific animals; in many cases, we come to appreciate the unique personalities of these remarkable animals. The power of Mr. Wise's writing is such that the notion of subjecting these animals to cruel scientific experiments and the like seems unthinkable, and liberation suddenly appears to be a quite reasonable and humane thing to do.

In short, I highly recommend this compassionate, original and thought-provoking book to everyone who cares about animals. While the legal system may not yet have recognized the validity of Mr. Wise' argument, this book will no doubt help the good lawyer secure a favorable ruling in the court of public opinion.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I never looked back, July 15, 2003

By 

Elizabeth Roberts-Zibbel (bowling green ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Drawing the Line: Science and the Case for Animal Rights (Hardcover)

This is the book which introduced me to the world of animal intelligence and emotion. In Steven Wise's book, he dedicates chapters to an African Grey parrot, a pair of dolphins, an elephant matriarch, an orangutan, Koko the gorilla, Wise's own family dog, and even spends a chapter describing the intricate communication of honeybees. Wise is a lawyer, and so his goal in the book is to analyze whether or not these "nonhuman animals" (I love that wording!) fit the criteria to deserve rights under the law. Some of them do (by his estimation), and some of them don't... but Wise's writing style draws you in and his stories about the various animals he meets are fascinating (my favorite was Alex the parrot). Animal lovers will feel vindicated, and those who are unsure on the subject of animal rights may find themselves swayed by Wise's strong arguments. The writing is a little scientific at times, but the book is well worth the effort!