This title shows us how the study of ecology and evolution can fortify us against disaster and war. It's like clockwork: when disaster strikes, the government implements measure to prevent the same event from happening again. This reactionary approach is hardly reassuring, but what else can we do? Learn from nature, argues ecologist Rafe Sagarin. In "Learning from the Octopus", Sagarin offers a glimpse of a new security strategy, one that relies on adaptable methods to protect us from threats both known and unknown,. How should we alert others of danger? Learn from the woodchuck: at constant risk of predation, the species has evolved sophisticated warning systems and ways of separating false alarms from real ones. How can we avoid threats? Study the octopus, the paragon of variability. Providing a fresh approach to an age-old problem, "Learning from the Octopus" offers a fascinating look at the natural science of security.
Learning From the Octopus
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Eric Liu, co-author of "The Gardens of Democracy: A New American Story of Citizenship, the Economy, and the Role of Government
""This book is a provocation and a delight. Rafe Sagarin invites us to look at national security with the eyes not of a state but of nature itself: for recursive patterns, adaptations, and the simple keys to complexity. It's thrilling to apply the lessons of octopuses, tidepools and other biological systems to defense, intelligence, and government generally. It's even more thrilling to imagine what our policymakers could learn from this book." John Arquilla, Professor of Defense Analysis, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School"Simply brilliant. Rafe Sagarin is one of the world's leading lateral thinkers. He can study tidepool life and find insights from it for fighting terrorism. He has harnessed our understanding of nature's immutable forces--selection, learning and adaptation--and turned them to the task of guiding us to a fresh new security paradigm. Above all, Sagarin sees how networked nature is, and how building our own networks is the best way to defeat the perils our balky security institutions have done so little to overcome." Courtney E. Martin, author of "Project Rebirth: Survival and the Strength of the Human Spirit from 9/11 Survivors" ""Learning from the Octopus" is not just a brilliant book about natural security, though it is that. It is also a transformative meditation on what attributes are necessary to live a content, modern life--starting with adaptability, imperfection, and interdependence. Rafe Sagarin is not only a rarity in regards to the intersection of his professional gifts--science and writing--but his power to see beyond fear and conformity to what really makes us safe in the world." Simon Levin, Moffett Professor of Biology, Princeton University
"In a brilliant and engaging style, Rafe Sagarin moves seamlessly between natural history and security analysis, convincingly making the case that we have much to learn
About the Author
Rafe Sagarin is a marine ecologist and Environmental Policy Analyst at the University of Arizona. His research has appeared in Science, Nature and Foreign Policy, among other publications. He lives in Tucson, Arizona.
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3.8 out of 5 stars
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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb synthesis of seemingly disparate fields
30 April 2012
By Marco Polo
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Sagarin eloquently demonstrates how lessons learned from the plant and animal world can be applied to human defense against unexpected threats such as terror attacks, disease epidemics, and natural disaster. The text is loaded with examples, often humorous, of adaptations that living organisms have made to survive. Sagarin does not bog the story down with excessive statistics or data. There are many ideas that show how we could better protect ourselves at lower cost to the dangers in the future. I highly recommend this to fans of Malcolm Gladwell and other "idea books" as a start of a national dialogue.
11 of 12 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
This book made me think about everything in an exciting new way
12 April 2012
By African Queen
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I love reading, but I usually don't put down a book and think about how it can affect my life and change my way of thinking or doing things. This is a book with take- away. It is stimulating, provocative, deeply intelligent, original and beautifully written. Hopefully it will be a catalyst for institutional change in some branches of government, in business, in the classroom and at home. It has ideas that can work for bringing up children. I recommend it to everyone. It is a terrific read (I am not a scientist) and will change your perspective.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Learning From the Octopus: How Secrets from Nature Can Help Us Fight Terrorist Attacks, Natural Disasters, and Disease
4 Sep 2012
By seun
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Talking about being adaptive to the ever changing situation in our dynamic world, we need to unlearn the old method of learning from our mistakes and stop believing some people out there are doing things to us and learn to adapt.
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3.8 out of 5 stars
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