salt cedars are deadly among willows; and human populations continue to kill for food and water. Living with the natural world is tough, hard work, requiring sacrifice and energy. We must never play dirty tricks on stu- dents of any age. Finally, an important note about the Johnson Publishing Company. This relatively small publisher is making every effort to be environmentally cor- rect. Not only are they publishing on recycled paper, but they are using soybean-based ink (a renewable re- source), sewing with cotton thread, using biodegradable glue and replac- ing the plastic wrapping with a semi- transparent paper of natural fiber. The important message contained in the book, combined with the environ- mental sensitivity of the publisher, presents an important prescription for the future. Reading the book once will stimulate one to read it a second time. The end notes and appendix will be important references for years to come. Jack L. Carter ColoradoCollege ColoradoSprings, CO 80903 Bi2 Animal Consciousness. By Daisy Radner & Michael Rad- ner. 1989. Prometheus Books (700 East Armherst St., Buffalo, NY 14215). 250 pp. $34.95 hardcover. Animal Consciousness is a two-part examination of the philosophical ques- tion, "Are animals conscious of them- selves as a living entity, and if they are, what are the implications for hu- mans in our various relationships with animals (ecological, the use of animals in biomedical research, agricultural production, keeping of pets, etc.). The book is clearly divided into two parts. The first part is devoted to a philosophical discussion of the ques- tion, "What is consciousness?" The authors address the question initially from a historical viewpoint, starting with a discussion of the attitudes of Greek philosophers, primarily Aristo- tle, and swiftly work up to the 17th century philosophers, primarily Des- cartes. Within this framework they ask a number of questions, such as what is mind? Is it a substance in the Aristo- telian sense-does it have form, color; can it be seen; what is consciousness; and what is the relationship of mind to consciousness; can consciousness be tested and if so, how? From the beginning the authors em- phasize that their viewpoint hinges on the proposition that most scientists or philosophers who have addressed these questions have done so from an anthropocentric position. The Radners indicate that they believe we ought to use a zoocentric viewpoint in order to arrive at a realistic conclusion. The primary philosophical purpose of this first section, subdivided for clarity into five chapters, is an indepth examination of what actually is Des- cartes' theory of mind, and, once this theory of mind is properly recon- structed, is there any justification for denying a Cartesian mind to animals? This section is a concise, clear sum- mary, and anyone who took Philoso- phy 101 in college (even if she/he has never opened a philosophy theory book since) should be able to follow the argument. Part two is the payoff for scientists. It advances the discussion to include Darwinian evolutionary theory and post-Darwinian thinking. Here the au- thors' primary interest centers on the relationship between consciousness and intraspecies, as well as interspe- cies, communication. Obviously, in man we can examine consciousness through the medium of language, but what is the role of the various means of communication used by animals? Predictably we begin with language acquisition by higher primates and re- view the work of the Gardiners' Pre- mak, Terrence, etc. We proceed, also predictably, to bee communication, signaling in sticklebacks, monkey calls, alarm calls by large carnivores and so on. The questions asked, and answered in the affirmative, are: Are these types of communication inten- tional? Can they be studied scientifi- cally and therefore yield scientifically valuable data? Having arrived at the conclusion that in a zoocentric sense animals do indeed have consciousness, and that this property can indeed by empiri- cally examined, the authors affirm that this must have bearing on the morality of our relationship with, and treat- ment of, animals. Enter the value of this book for the biologist. Increasingly, in elementary, high school and college classrooms, the questions of animal rights arise, whether we are discussing ecological problems, economic/ecological prob- lems, i.e. the use of woodlands for the lumber industry, medical research or dissection lab exercises. Admittedly, this book is not summer hammock reading. It is, however, well worth the effort. I would also point out that the book is unique. I have not come across another discussion solely devoted to this topic in the literature. The style is clear, the philosophic expositions easy to follow, the conclusions clearly de- lineated. The occasional repetitions are used primarily to re-emphasize or clarify a point. I would like to see it available in all high school and college libraries. Lotte R. Geller Roeper Schoolfor Gifted Students Bloomfield Hills, MI 48013 Bi2gy The Ants. By BertHolldobler& Edward 0. Wilson. 1990. Har- vard University Press (79 Gar- den St., Cambridge, MA 02138). 732 pp. $65. This is an incredible book. It will be the standard reference work on ants until well into the next century unless the authors publish a revision. Dedi- cated to "the next generation of myrmecologists," this book should in- spire many a reluctant scientist or ed- ucator to devote more time and energy to these remarkable animals. Is my enthusiasm colored by my preconception that ants are inherently interesting? Doubtless. But the au- thors have anticipated that there might be a general lack of enthusiasm for this subject. The first chapter is titled, "The importance of ants." The authors write, "The neglect of ants in science and natural history is a short- coming that should be remedied, for they represent the culmination of in- sect evolution, in the same sense that human beings represent the summit of vertebrate evolution." Though you might disagree, the authors pique your interest by appealing to your chauvinism. Ant diversity and abundance is leg- endary. In New Guinea, 219 species were collected in one square mile, and in the Ivory Coast there are an esti- mated 20 million worker ants per hect- are. Ants are found almost every- where, from the Arctic Circle to Tierra del Fuego. They are predators, seed harvesters, leaf-cutters and fungus- cultivators. Ants can live in all kinds of natural and unnatural places from dead stems to abandoned plumbing to the inside of plaster walls. Some spe- cies can even spend two weeks or more under water! As subjects for studies in behavior, ecology and evo- lution, they offer unparalled opportu- nities. The authors wish to persuade all of us, from teachers of elementary school to graduate professors, that ants have been underutilized as ob- jects of study. I must agree. The final chapter (20) of this book BOOK REVIEWS255 Downloaded from http://online.ucpress.edu/abt/article-pdf/53/4/255/45285/4449285.pdf by guest on 13 December 2021