In The Demoralization of Western Culture Ralph Fevre undertakes an explanation of these difficulties.

"Man, Beast, and Zombie is an original and accessible book. Vast in its scope, it draws on cutting-edge sciences such as evolutionary biology, cognitive psychology, and artificial intelligence to assess what, precisely, science can and cannot explain about human nature. Kenan Malik explains the histories of these sciences (and the philosophies that underpin them) and analyzes the complex relationship between human beings, animals, and machines to explore what really makes us human." "Man, Beast, and Zombie is both a defense of (...) scientific reason and a challenge to some of today's most cherished scientific theories. It deftly interweaves philosophy, science, and history to answer the most fundamental question of all: what is a human being?"--Jacket. (shrink)