Animals in Greek and Roman Thought : A Sourcebook

The second edition of Animals in Greek and Roman Thought: A Sourcebook offers a detailed introduction to Greco-Roman thought on the intellectual and emotional capacities of non-human animals and on the ethical dimensions of human-non-human animal interactions.

The second edition of Animals in Greek and Roman Thought: A Sourcebook offers a detailed introduction to Greco-Roman thought on the intellectual and emotional capacities of non-human animals and on the ethical dimensions of human-non-human animal interactions. Selections translated from Greek and Roman philosophical, natural scientific, religious, historical and poetic literature, complemented with extensive explanatory commentaries, provide the reader with an appreciation for the depth and breadth of classical speculation on non-human species. Bibliographies updated and augmented for this second edition offer guidance for further study on topics included in the volume. A new feature in this edition is a chapter containing a generous selection of passages that illustrate all sides of the complex ancient debate on whether non-human animals have the cognitive faculties needed for true emotional experiences, a subject at the forefront of current philosophical and scientific debate on animal intellect to which the Greeks and Roman contributed substantially. This updated and expanded edition remains a critical resource for students and scholars in the areas of classical studies, ancient animal studies, philosophy and ethics, and ancient ecology and environmental issues.