{"product_id":"so-human-an-animal-by-rene-dubos","title":"'So Human an Animal' by René Dubos","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"\" data-turn-id-container=\"request-6a5d7430-35d8-83ec-8537-639937f3e813-10\" data-is-intersecting=\"true\"\u003e\n\u003csection class=\"text-token-text-primary w-full focus:outline-none has-data-writing-block:pointer-events-none [\u0026amp;:has([data-writing-block])\u0026gt;*]:pointer-events-auto R6Vx5W_threadScrollVars scroll-mb-[calc(var(--scroll-root-safe-area-inset-bottom,0px)+var(--thread-response-height))] scroll-mt-[calc(var(--header-height)+min(200px,max(70px,20svh)))]\" dir=\"auto\" data-turn-id=\"request-6a5d7430-35d8-83ec-8537-639937f3e813-10\" data-turn-id-container=\"request-6a5d7430-35d8-83ec-8537-639937f3e813-10\" data-testid=\"conversation-turn-56\" data-turn=\"assistant\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"text-base my-auto mx-auto pb-15 [--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-xs,calc(var(--spacing)*4))] @w-sm\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-sm,calc(var(--spacing)*6))] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-margin:var(--thread-content-margin-lg,calc(var(--spacing)*16))] px-(--thread-content-margin)\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-conversation-screenshot-content=\"\" class=\"[--thread-content-max-width:40rem] @w-lg\/main:[--thread-content-max-width:48rem] mx-auto max-w-(--thread-content-max-width) flex-1 group\/turn-messages focus-visible:outline-hidden relative flex w-full min-w-0 flex-col agent-turn\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex max-w-full flex-col gap-4 grow\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv data-message-author-role=\"assistant\" data-message-id=\"09343159-f271-41f0-8d30-1190f1ca6a68\" data-turn-start-message=\"true\" dir=\"auto\" data-message-model-slug=\"gpt-5-6-thinking\" class=\"min-h-8 text-message relative flex w-full flex-col items-end gap-2 text-start break-words whitespace-normal outline-none keyboard-focused:focus-ring [.text-message+\u0026amp;]:mt-1\" tabindex=\"0\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"flex w-full flex-col gap-1 empty:hidden\"\u003e\n\u003cdiv class=\"markdown prose dark:prose-invert wrap-break-word w-full light markdown-new-styling\"\u003e\n\u003ch4 data-start=\"36\" data-end=\"597\"\u003eRené Dubos begins the work dramatically. He claims that human beings are biological creatures, but creatures whose bodies, minds and cultures are continuously made by their surroundings.\u003c\/h4\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"36\" data-end=\"597\"\u003eMoving between microbiology, anthropology, urban life, education and environmental thought, he argues against both genetic fatalism and that technological progress = freedom. He says, we reshape the world, then discover that the world we have built is reshaping us—often into forms poorly suited to its noise, congestion, uniformity and speed.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"599\" data-end=\"1314\"\u003eFirst published in 1968 and awarded the Pulitzer Prize for General Nonfiction, the book belongs to the formative period of modern environmental thinking, before ecology hardened into a separate political niche. Dubos is interested not only in protecting “nature” elsewhere, but in the design of ordinary human habitats: cities, workplaces, institutions and social systems capable of accommodating difference rather than flattening it. Some of its anthropology carries the assumptions of its period, but its central warning remains unnervingly intact: technical capacity is not a moral command, and a society can become less habitable while congratulating itself on advancement. \u003cspan class=\"\" data-state=\"closed\"\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp data-start=\"1341\" data-end=\"1492\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eFirst Abacus edition, 1973. Paperback. Moderate cover wear with rubbing, edge wear and a pronounced crease to the lower front corner; internally sound.\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/section\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"bower studio","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":45850314014803,"sku":null,"price":15.0,"currency_code":"AUD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0689\/0268\/2707\/files\/Yourparagraphtext-2026-07-22T103803.966.png?v=1784680732","url":"https:\/\/bowerbooks.com\/products\/so-human-an-animal-by-rene-dubos","provider":"bower books","version":"1.0","type":"link"}