Tenacious Beasts #631
August 14, 2023
In his book Tenacious Beasts, philosopher and writer Christopher Preston explores creature comebacks. Some of these stories highlight the evolutionary advantages that animals have racked up over millennia, while others are marked by intensive human intervention. Along the way, Preston opens some big questions about conservation dilemmas, such as what to do when helping one species means harming another. Amidst the bad news about biodiversity loss, Tenacious Beasts brings snippets of hope and lessons learned from animals such as beavers, bison and humpback whales. On this week’s show, Christopher shares about these animal recoveries, insights collected from Indigenous communities and scientific research, and what coexisting with wildlife means for humans and our societies.
Guests:
- Christopher J. Preston
Featured Book
Tenacious Beasts: Wildlife Recoveries That Change How We Think about Animals
Guest Bios
Christopher J. Preston
Christopher J. Preston is an English-born writer and philosophy professor based in Missoula, MT. He has written on topics related to wildlife, environment, climate, and technology for venues that include The Atlantic, Orion, Smithsonian, Discover, the BBC, and the Wall Street Journal. His award-winning book, The Synthetic Age: Outdesigning Evolution, Resurrecting Species, and Reengineering Our World, has been translated into six languages. He gives talks in state parks, libraries, and breweries across the west to audiences interested in conservation and technology. His popular new book, Tenacious Beasts: Wildlife Recoveries That Change How We Think About Animals investigates a number of species back from the brink of extinction. He meets the scientists, indigenous leaders, and activists responsible for their return and uncovers what these tenacious wild animals have to teach. In early 2023, he won an annual award from the International Society for Environmental Ethics for his work as a public philosopher.
