Struck, Peter T2023-05-222023-05-222014-01-012017-12-21Struck, P.T. (2014). Animals and Divination. In Campbell, G.L. (Ed.), The Oxford Handbook of Animals in Classical Thought and Life. Oxford University Press. DOI: 10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199589425.013.019https://repository.upenn.edu/handle/20.500.14332/8062This chapter examines the role of animals in divination in ancient times. It discusses ancient observers' interpretaion of signs coming from instinctive animal behaviour and from the structure of animal body parts. It explains the three main currents of philosophical thought on divination. Plato and Aristotle believed the divinatory insights to be tied with animal instinct and belong to a fringe form of cognition that is specifically connected with humans' animal natures. On the other hand, the Stoics considered divination as an important piece of their understanding of the cosmos as a whole, and of humans as part of it.Animals and Divination. In The Oxford Handbook of Animals in Classical Thought and Life, edited by Campbell, G.L., 2014, reproduced by permission of Oxford University Press: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199589425.013.019animals in divinationancient timesinterpretation of signsanimal behaviouranimal body partsPlatoAristotleStoicsdivinatory insightsform of cognitionAncient History, Greek and Roman through Late AntiquityAncient PhilosophyArts and HumanitiesClassicsBook Chapter