Trying On: The American Education

Berger:

Animals as the original relational metaphor

Animal-Human relations as origin of metaphor, of figurative language (antecedant of literal speech)

Description of animal-human similarities also indicates the incommensurable difference.

“In the last two centuries, animals have gradually disappeared. Today we live without them.”

Dwindling of the anthropomorphic perspective–rise of behaviorist view

Zoologist Buffon–response to Descartes, animals as soulless machines, provokes nostalgi

“Animals are placed in a receding past.”

1. Animals as slaves of nature.

2. 18th century: human productivity replaces animals; animals used as machines

3. Post-industrial societies: animals used as raw material–processed