“An extraordinary book... A delightful story, presented as a fable, that will appeal to readers of all ages. There is courtroom drama, gripping suspense, memorable characters and witty repartee. It is a tale that entertains while, at the same time, it raises important ethical issues concerning animal welfare and environmental stewardship. It forces us to think about humanity’s true place in the natural world... José Antonio Jáuregui and Eduardo, I salute you both. You have made a major contribution to the future of life, as we know it, on Planet Earth.”
-Jane Goodall Ph.D., DBE, Founder – the Jane Goodall Institute & UN Messenger of Peace, www.janegoodall.org
Representatives from every corner of the Animal Kingdom have gathered in the jungle for an extraordinary trial. The Human Being is accused of atrocious crimes against its fellow creatures: Slander, Physical Abuse and Genocide. The forked tongue of Kali the Cobra will provide evidence and arguments against our species, while Philos the Dog, friend and defense attorney, will do everything possible to save us from being condemned. Several witnesses will testify for and against the prosecution, including a cow, a bonobo ape, a chinese box turtle and even a mosquito. In the end, Solomon the Owl, wise judge of this unprecedented legal case, will pronounce his veredict: Is Homo Sapiens a threat for all life on Earth, an arrogant, cruel and murderous species that does not deserve the freedom granted by its genes? Or can it still redeem itself before the rest of its fellow animals? The time has come for us to face the Law of the Jungle.
Humans on Trial is a satirical fable about the Human Being, told from the point of view of our fellow animals. In its pages, the reader is challenged to consider, as a member of the human species, our way of thinking about other creatures, our treatment of captive animals, and the ecological damage we are causing to the Earth’s ecosystems. In addition, it treats a far-ranging set of topics, including human art, religion, economics, sexuality, war, love and the quest for happiness. At times sobering, always stimulating, and often hilarious, this is a book with which to grow as a person and to diminish, perhaps, as a species.
Authors
Jose Antonio Jáuregui (Eguillor 1941-Sibiu 2006) was one of the leading intellectuals and academics of the last quarter of the 20th Century in Spain. Edward O.Wilson considered Jáuregui "a pioneer in sociology and evolutionary biology, and an original thinker of the first rank". Juicio a los Humanos was to be his first novel.
Eduardo Jáuregui is the author of five books, a professor at the Business and Social Sciences Department of Saint Louis University (Madrid Campus) and a Doctor in Social and Political Sciences, specialized in the sense of humor and positive psychology.