- Paperback: 280 pages
- Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell (24 Sep 2010)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 1444335693
- ISBN-13: 978-1444335699
- Product Dimensions: 22.8 x 15.5 x 2.1 cm
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 457,417 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- See Complete Table of Contents
 Trade In this Item for up to £1.35
Get an extra £5 when you trade in books worth £10 or more until June 30, 2012. Trade in Hunting: In Search of the Wild Life (Philosophy for Everyone) for an Amazon.co.uk gift card of up to £1.35, which you can then spend on millions of items across the site. Trade-in values may vary (terms apply). Find more products eligible for trade-in.
|
Product details |
More About the Author
Product Description
Review
"Kowalsky′s book does a fine job in showing why there are good reasons to keep hunting in high esteem, to learn a great deal from it about human biology and culture, and to eat hunted meat." (About.com, 25 October 2011)
"Recommended. Academic and general library collections, all levels." (Choice, 1 March 2011)
"If you don′t mind having your convictions challenged or your viewpoint broadened this book should be on your reading list." (Alberta Outdoorsmen, 1 May 2011)
"Just as you always see something new, even if you′ve walked that forest a hundred times before, certain essays can give you a glimpse of something you hadn′t seen or thought of before. Some of the essays are even down–right fun to read." (Primitive Archer Magazine, January 2011)"Nathan Kowalsky provides a forum of diverse ideas and voices about "hunting" that ensemble, becomes the most recent attempt that I am aware of at showcasing serious writers on the "topic." Most of these essays are written with an intelligent audience in mind, although the reader need not be a philosopher."( The Trumpeter, 1 December 2010)
"It does provide fresh perspectives by both academic and non academic authors on a variety of hunting topics such as hunting in culture, politics and tradition; the relationship of hunting to nature and human nature and the hoary old topic of hunting ethics... In my opinion, I found it the most refreshing book of its kind that I have read in years." (AFRICAN INDABA, November 2008)
"Presenting all these diverse views in one relatively small book, a mere 258 pages, is a vision implemented, without which, most readers invested in learning more about hunting, would sorely miss if they knew their want". (Book Review , 1 December 2010).
There′s a really fine essay by the biologist Valerius Geist on how hunting has played a significant role in human development. Kay, my wife, contributed an essay on bow–hunting with self–made equipment. There are other essays on the human–animal relationship, even a few comparing hunting to vegetarianism. Lots of other provocative pieces." (Leather Wall, September 2010)
"If you′re interested in sharpening your thinking skills on the subject of hunting, I′ve got a great new book for you: Hunting – Philosophy for Everyone: In Search of the Wild Life." (NorCal Cazadora, October 2010)
"Featuring contributions from a wide range of academic and non–academic sources, including both hunters and nonhunters, this book is for general readers, especially those who hunt ("Hunting for Meaning: A Glimpse of the Game"), as well as self–professed "foodies" and vegetarians." (Fishing and Outdoors Newspaper, October 2010)
Product Description
Hunting – Philosophy for Everyone presents a collection of readings from academics and non–academics alike that move beyond the ethical justification of hunting to investigate less traditional topics and offer fresh perspectives on why we hunt.
- The only recent book to explicitly examine the philosophical issues surrounding hunting
- Shatters many of the stereotypes about hunting, forcing us to rethink the topic
- Features contributions from a wide range of academic and non–academic sources, including both hunters and non–hunters
Inside This Book
(Learn More)
Tag this product(What's this?)Think of a tag as a keyword or label you consider is strongly related to this product.
Tags will help all customers organise and find favourite items. |
Sell a Digital Version of This Book in the Kindle Store
If you are a publisher or author and hold the digital rights to a book, you can sell a digital version of it in our Kindle Store.
Learn more
Customer Reviews
There are no customer reviews yet on Amazon.co.uk.
5 star
4 star
3 star
2 star
1 star
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
4 reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Thoughtful, provocative book for all readers
6 Oct 2010
Format:Paperback
In the anthology Hunting: In Search of the Wild Life, editor Nathan Kowalsky brings together an impressive list of both heavyweights and lightweights from philosophical academia, as well as writers from other fields, many (okay, most) of them being active hunters. The goal: to present to general readers a philosophical examination of hunting from many angles without the jargon, word-spinning, and castles-in-the-air theorizing that characterizes much of "expert" philosophy.
The best part of Hunting is its balance of breadth with tightness, its manageably sized essays focusing on a wide variety of arguments for and against hunting. At the same time, recurring themes clearly come out and provide threads that weave the whole together.
Overall, the anthology contains challenging philosophical arguments for the justifiableness, if not the need and essentiality, of hunting--from supporters, detractors, and fence-straddlers . It is thus most useful for hunting critics, I think, since it will challenge them to rethink their assumptions and their arguments...and strengthen their argumentative muscles. More importantly, it will give them a glimpse into the opposing camp via the articulate discussion of philosopher-hunters. Those who already hunt or even just think it is not ethically wrong could surely benefit from reading as well, in that it would give them more insight into the discussion about hunting as a philosophy and a way of life.
General readers may not have as easy a time with the anthology as readers with some experience in the qualities and conventions of academic, philosophical argument. But the book is not about syllogisms or elitism or obscurity. It is practical, about philosophy in practice and not philosophy in abstract, and thus it can in fact serve as "philosophy for everyone" who cares to undertake the task of reading and thinking.
As a result, it is a valuable anthology on an important contemporary topic and touches on some of the most important ethical, cultural, and environmental issues of our time. While it may not actually convert anti-hunters or enlighten hunters, it will (helpfully, I think) challenge convictions, raise questions, and provoke serious thought. And that alone, in an age of Google-mind and short attention spans, is always something to be thankful for.
The best part of Hunting is its balance of breadth with tightness, its manageably sized essays focusing on a wide variety of arguments for and against hunting. At the same time, recurring themes clearly come out and provide threads that weave the whole together.
Overall, the anthology contains challenging philosophical arguments for the justifiableness, if not the need and essentiality, of hunting--from supporters, detractors, and fence-straddlers . It is thus most useful for hunting critics, I think, since it will challenge them to rethink their assumptions and their arguments...and strengthen their argumentative muscles. More importantly, it will give them a glimpse into the opposing camp via the articulate discussion of philosopher-hunters. Those who already hunt or even just think it is not ethically wrong could surely benefit from reading as well, in that it would give them more insight into the discussion about hunting as a philosophy and a way of life.
General readers may not have as easy a time with the anthology as readers with some experience in the qualities and conventions of academic, philosophical argument. But the book is not about syllogisms or elitism or obscurity. It is practical, about philosophy in practice and not philosophy in abstract, and thus it can in fact serve as "philosophy for everyone" who cares to undertake the task of reading and thinking.
As a result, it is a valuable anthology on an important contemporary topic and touches on some of the most important ethical, cultural, and environmental issues of our time. While it may not actually convert anti-hunters or enlighten hunters, it will (helpfully, I think) challenge convictions, raise questions, and provoke serious thought. And that alone, in an age of Google-mind and short attention spans, is always something to be thankful for.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Hunting - Philosophy for Everyone: In Search of the Wild Life
9 Mar 2011
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
NOT JUST FOR HUNTERS! If you're someone who enjoys outdoor activities be it hiking,camping,bird watching,wildlife photography etc. and you reflect on what you observe in the wild this book will hold your interest. Both informative and challenging this series of diverse philosophical essays makes absorbing reading. WARNING: THIS BOOK IS FOR PEOPLE WHO LIKE THINKING AND WHO WON'T SHY AWAY FROM ARGUMENTS THAT MAY CHALLENGE THEIR WORLD VIEW.
A bookshelf must for thoughtful hunters
28 Jun 2011
Format:Paperback
When you do a LOT of reading about hunting philosophy (as I do), it's hard to find new material that adds to your body of knowledge. But this book did just that.
While some of the essays explored ground that's already been thoroughly plowed, I particularly enjoyed the following essays:
"Hunting like a vegetarian," by Tovar Cerulli: This is important reading for hunters who haven't spent much time thinking about the perspectives of anti-hunting vegetarians and vegans. Cerulli used to be one, and now he hunts; his perspective is important.
"How to go hunting after watching Bambi" by Gregory Clark: I learned a LOT from this essay about how the movie "Bambi" came to be so anti-hunting when the book was not.
"Teachings of an Algonquin Anishinable bush hunter" by Jacob Wawatie and Stephanie Pyne: I felt like I was sitting around the campfire with elders, learning about their respectful approach to nature.
"Living with dead animals? Trophies as souvenirs of the hunt" by Garry Marvin: This was pretty cool - an interesting look at why hunters keep the trophies that they do (heads on the wall, "hero shots" of them with bloody, dead animals). There's a reason why we do this!
"The fear of the Lord: Hunting as if the boss is watching" by Janina Duerr: This was a fascinating look at the spiritual beliefs of hunter-gatherers that keep/kept their hunting on an ethical track.
If you're interested a more complete and detailed description of what I liked about these essays (and what I didn't like about others), go here:[...]
While some of the essays explored ground that's already been thoroughly plowed, I particularly enjoyed the following essays:
"Hunting like a vegetarian," by Tovar Cerulli: This is important reading for hunters who haven't spent much time thinking about the perspectives of anti-hunting vegetarians and vegans. Cerulli used to be one, and now he hunts; his perspective is important.
"How to go hunting after watching Bambi" by Gregory Clark: I learned a LOT from this essay about how the movie "Bambi" came to be so anti-hunting when the book was not.
"Teachings of an Algonquin Anishinable bush hunter" by Jacob Wawatie and Stephanie Pyne: I felt like I was sitting around the campfire with elders, learning about their respectful approach to nature.
"Living with dead animals? Trophies as souvenirs of the hunt" by Garry Marvin: This was pretty cool - an interesting look at why hunters keep the trophies that they do (heads on the wall, "hero shots" of them with bloody, dead animals). There's a reason why we do this!
"The fear of the Lord: Hunting as if the boss is watching" by Janina Duerr: This was a fascinating look at the spiritual beliefs of hunter-gatherers that keep/kept their hunting on an ethical track.
If you're interested a more complete and detailed description of what I liked about these essays (and what I didn't like about others), go here:[...]
Were these reviews helpful?
Let us know
Customer Discussions
|
This product's forum
Active discussions in related forums
Search Customer Discussions
|
Related forums
|
Listmania!
Look for similar items by category
Look for similar items by subject
Feedback
- Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?
- I am the Author, and I want to comment on my book.
- I am the Publisher, and I want to comment on this book.
|
