Ways of Being: Animals, Plants, Machines: The Search for a Planetary Intelligence

James Bridle examines how human definitions of intelligence are historically narrow, often limited to logic and data processing. The text investigates biological networks, such as the wood wide web of fungal mycelium and the decentralized nervous systems of cephalopods, as evidence of diverse cognitive styles. Bridle connects these natural systems to technological developments, discussing how artificial intelligence might function through ecological cooperation rather than human-centered dominance. By looking at ancient Greek random-sorting tools alongside modern algorithmic sensors, the author argues for a "planetary intelligence" that treats machines, plants, and animals as equal participants in a shared environment.

This book is intended for readers interested in cybernetics, ecology, and the ethics of technology. It attracts those who want to understand the crossover between silicon-based systems and biological reality. Readers gain a perspective that shifts away from human exceptionalism, replaced by a technical and environmental framework for coexistence. This work provides a foundation for thinking about legal rights for rivers and forests, while helping people identify the common logic between organic life and artificial systems.