Charles Darwin ‘On The Origin Of Species’

First published in 1859, this pioneering and inspiring piece of writing is a must-read for any budding naturalists. Pre-dating Mendelian genetics, Darwin’s intuitive conclusions are awe inspiring.

Richard Dawkins ‘The Selfish Gene’

The pioneering book from this renowned Evolutionary Biologist is an exceptional read. First published in 1976, the terminology coined is now integral to the field.

Jeremy Bentham on animal rights

This is not so much a whole read, but more a significant quote. Bentham was an English philosopher and often regarded as the earliest pioneer of animal rights. In 1789 in a decree to the French he applauded their recognition that skin colour was an absurd justification for slavery, and asked that we look at the reasoning with which we revoke animal rights in the same way. He wrote- “What else is it that should trace the insuperable line? Is it the faculty of reason or perhaps the faculty of discourse? But a full-grown horse or dog, is beyond comparison a more rational, as well as a more conversable animal, than an infant of a day or a week or even a month, old. But suppose the case were otherwise, what would it avail? The question is not, Can they reason? nor, Can they talk? but, Can they suffer?”