In Other Minds, Peter Godfrey-Smith, a philosopher of science and a skilled scuba diver, tells a story of how nature became aware of itself. How did the octopus, a solitary creature, become so smart? What is it like to have eight tentacles that are so packed with neurons that they virtually ‘think for themselves’? By tracing the question of life back to its roots Godfrey-Smith casts crucial new light on the octopus mind – and on our own.