The Light Eaters

The book’s subtitle is How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth. Did reading it provide you with a new understanding? Why or why not?

Before reading The Light Eaters, did you ever notice ways that made you think that plants have some form of intelligence? Do you now look back on those moments through a new lens?

Throughout the book, Schlanger pays considerable attention to how human language can be used to describe plants (“anthropomorphizing” them) – how we ask if they have a conscious, whether they feel pain, can communicate, have memory, etc. Did any of this resonate with you? What are your thoughts on these claims?

Is there a particular story or scientific study related to plant intelligence that really stood out to you? How come?

Schlanger notes that nature has many folds and faces that are hidden from human view: “The world is a prism, not a window. Wherever we look, we find new refractions” (p. 61). How do you see this quote reflected in nature? Whether as described in the book, or as observed yourself.

Schlanger notes at several moments how the idea of plant intelligence remains controversial in the scientific community – and how many people are reluctant to share their findings. How is this debate framed and analyzed? Do you think she did a fair job of balancing these different perspectives?

What are your thoughts on the complex social question of plant intelligence – of how humans interpret this new scientific knowledge, and what we do with it (discussed in-depth in Chapter 11: Plant Futures)? Do you think humans’ perception of plants will change drastically in the future? How so? Or will the relationship stay the same?

Why do you think that plant intelligence matters? Why do people devote research to it, and why did Schlanger feel compelled to write this book?

Have you ever been in awe of nature? For example, being amongst giant trees, seeing a beautiful flower, or being amazed at how a plant grew in a unique way. Do you remember what exactly caused you to feel that way?

What are your thoughts on how the book was written? Did you find that the scientific information was presented accessibly for readers with no prior knowledge of the subject?

Are you a gardener, or do you have house plants? Did this book change your perception of how you work with plants?