Can we really continue like this? How should we treat animals? We love them and we hate them, we pamper them and we eat them. But is our treatment of animals right and morally justifiable? Richard David Precht examines the structures of our thought models with sharp insight, humor, and extensive knowledge across all disciplines. Is not man also an animal – and what then separates him from other animals? What consequences does this have for us? Precht draws a wide arc from evolution and behavioral research to religion and philosophy, all the way to jurisprudence and our everyday behavior. Are we allowed to hunt and eat animals, to confine them in cages, and to use them for experiments? At the end of this exploration lies a thought-provoking conclusion. A book that encourages us to rethink animals and change our behavior.