Why people recommend it
An Instinct for Dragons by David E. Jones is an academic inquiry that investigates the anthropological, psychological, and evolutionary reasons behind humanity's universal fascination with dragon myths across disparate cultures. On an episode of The Jordan B. Peterson Podcast titled 566. The Meaning Of: There’s No Such Thing as a Dragon, released on July 28, 2025, Jordan B. Peterson discussed the text with his listeners. Peterson brought up the book to explain that he found it very useful in his own analytical work regarding such archetypal concepts. Specifically, he highlighted how the author provides a compelling evolutionary explanation for why the concept of dragons appears so consistently in human mythology and fear responses. The recommendation points to the book's utility for researchers, psychologists, and curious thinkers seeking to understand the deep-seated biological and evolutionary roots of mythological creatures and symbolic thinking within the human species.
Who recommended it
- Jordan B. Peterson Recommended
Jordan B. Peterson — 1 mention
“Um there's a book that I found very useful in my analysis of such things called an instinct for dragons by a man named David E. Jones.”