Are we humans simply remodelled apes? Chimps with a tweak? Is the difference between our genomes so minuscule it justifies the argument that our cognition and behaviour must also differ from chimps by barely a whisker? If “chimps are us” should we grant them human rights? Or is this one of the biggest fallacies in the study of evolution? NOT A CHIMP argues that these similarities have been grossly over-exaggerated - we should keep chimps at arm’s length. Are humans cognitively unique after all?
Saturday, 20 March 2010
The Ethical Dog
A number of primatologists and comparative cognitive psychologists verge on being almost irritating in their claims for the origins of human moral behaviour in non-human primates but in this breath of fresh air from Marc Bekoff we are reminded of the intense social intelligence of dogs and other canids and the likelihood that studying social communication and the policing of social fairness in dogs and coyotes etc. may be much more rewarding than study of, say, chimps, in getting to the root of how the human sense of fairness might have evolved. Bekoff outlines several cardinal rules of play among canids, while reminding us of how important play is in promoting trust, altruism and social bonds. His rules are: Communicate clearly; Mind your manners; Admit when you are wrong; Be honest.
No comments:
Post a Comment