Reviews for Beautiful Minds: The Parallel Lives of Great Apes and Dolphins

The average rating for Beautiful Minds: The Parallel Lives of Great Apes and Dolphins based on 2 reviews is 3.5 stars.

Review # 1 was written on 2008-06-23 00:00:00 David Johnson Fascinating book. It talks about the social structures, politics, tool use, and signs of intelligence in dolphins and apes. I particularly enjoyed the final chapters which described the evolution of apes and dolphins and the current dangers both species face. It was quite sobering to read. There are only minor complaints I had with the book. It was a bit limited in describing the rich emotional lives of apes and dolphins, which is often tied to intelligence. (For instance, to show empathy, you have to have a theory of mind which the authors seem more willing to characterize in dolphins than apes- though previous anecdotal evidence suggests that apes can be quite empathetic). I also wondered why the research on chimpanzees far over-shadowed research on orangutans and gorilla.s Was it because of lack of conclusive research or understanding? Not sure. Anyone with an interest in apes, dolphins, or animal intelligence studies should find this a great read. We still have yet to learn so much about dolphins and apes: I'm looking forward to more studies in the future!

Review # 2 was written on 2010-10-21 00:00:00 Michael Aunkst Npt as captivating as the synopsis might suggest