A Dog’s Life: More Meaningful Than Man’s, Philosopher Argues
Mark Rowlands, professor and chair of the Department of Philosophy at the University of Miami, has penned a new book, “The Word of Dog: What Our Canine Companions Can Teach Us About Living a Good Life,” where he argues that a dog’s life is more meaningful than a human’s. According to Rowlands, a dog loves their life with every fiber because it is all they have, while humans are bogged down by reflective self-awareness, which can cripple us.
In his book, Rowlands relies on the wisdom of philosopher Jean-Paul Sartre, who believed that humans are often burdened by their own thinking. Rowlands contends that dogs, on the other hand, have no capacity for reflection but do have a pre-reflection, which allows them to appreciate the simple pleasures in life, such as chasing a ball.
Rowlands himself is a dog owner and has lived with a wolf, which has given him insight into the canine mind. He argues that dogs are capable of experiencing great joy, even in repetitive tasks, and that their lives are filled with unselfish love. In contrast, humans often struggle to find meaning in their lives, bogged down as we are by our own reflection and doubt.
Rowlands cites the example of his own German shepherd, Shadow, who exhibits a Sisyphean task in his daily pursuit of sunbathing iguanas, but nonetheless finds great joy in the task. He notes that dogs have only one life to live and are not burdened by reflection, which makes their lives typically more meaningful and filled with love than those of humans.
Rowlands concludes that dogs lead “more meaningful lives than we do” and urges readers to understand the unspoken wisdom of their canine companions, which can be a key to unlocking a happier, more fulfilling life. “Meaning in life exists wherever happiness erupts from nature. If you want to know the meaning of life, get a dog,” he writes.