ipl-logo

Analysis Of The Bonobo And The Atheist By Frans De Waal

1437 Words6 Pages

Primatologist Frans de Waal, author of The Bonobo and the Atheist, argues that human morality is not imposed from above but instead comes from within. Moral behavior doesn’t begin and then end with religion, but is a product of evolution. What that means, is that de Waal believes that human morality is not something you are born with but something you develop according to the environment around you, socially, economically and educationally. Primates and even non-primates are an example of this. When an infant is born, they are raised by their mothers for many years. Infants of all kinds depend on their mothers and even others around them, to show them what’s right and what’s wrong. In primates, some of the different kinds of primates, mothers are the ones who take care of their infants and raise …show more content…

The mother-infant relationship is therefore crucial for the learning, socialization, and survival of their young. Although some of the primate’s actions are wrong to us, it’s natural to them because that’s what they’ve been taught for years. Ethical behavior involves demonstrating admiration for moral principles that include honesty, fairness, and equality. For many years, de Waal has observed chimpanzees ease distressed neighbors and bonobos share their food. He now delivers fascinating evidence for ethical behavior in primate societies that further strengthens the case for the biological origins of human fairness. Connecting dramatic tales from the animal kingdom with considerate philosophical analysis, de Waal seeks a bottom-up explanation of morality that emphasizes our connection with animals. The morality that de Waal leaps bottom-up from our emotions and our day-to-day social interactions, which themselves evolved from foundations in animal

Show More
Related
248 Words | 1 Pages

In the op-ed piece “A Change of Heart about Animals”, Jeremy Rifkin emphasizes the similarities between humans and animals by providing results on scientific research studies to illustrate that humans should be more empathetic towards animals. In addition, he further explains how research results have changed the ways humans perceived animals and indicates solutions that were taken by other countries and organizations to help improve and protect animal rights. Rifkin provides examples that demonstrate animals have emotions, conceptual abilities, self awareness, and a sense of individualism just like humans. For example, Pigs crave for affection and get depressed easily when isolated, two birds Betty and Abel have tool making skills, Koko

Read More
205 Words | 1 Pages

Jeremy Rifkin, the president of the Foundation on Economic Trends in Washington D.C and author of “A Change of Heart About Animals” (2003), argues in this article that animals are much more like humans than we thought and that we should expand our empathy to our fellow creatures. Rifkin develops his thesis by comparing the similarities between humans and animals. An example of this is in paragraph 11 when he claims that animals show a sense of their own mortality and the mortality of their kin just like humans do. He supports this claim by giving an example of elephants standing next to their dead children for days after they have passed. The author gives that example of the elephants in order to make the reader understands just how aware these

Read More
445 Words | 2 Pages

In “A Change of Heart about Animals,” Jeremy Rifkin says “many of our fellow creatures are more like us than we had ever imagined.” By doing so, Rifkin tries to appeal to human emotions through the use of pathos, in order to reflect our current viewpoint to match his opinion. Although animals have cognitive abilities and emotions similar to humans, I have to disagree on the basis that we should not change the way that we normally treat animals because of survival of the fittest and that human lives should be put over animals’. Despite the fact that it seems inhumane to treat animals poorly, it is actually beneficial to the lives of people. Rifkin raises questions such as, “So what does all of this portend for the way we treat our fellow

Read More
274 Words | 2 Pages

Ara Norenzayan asserts that religion is not necessarily a basis for morality. Norenzayan is a psychology professor at the University of British Columbia, giving him the credentials to discuss humans’ moral compass and its origins. However, his judgements on religion are not completely justified as he is not a religion expert. This said, Norenzayan argues that “foraging societies that give… clues… of ancestral human conditions” show they do not have religions with a basis in morality. He also gives an account of a psychological study by Henrich that uses 15 pastoral and horticultural societies that showed “greater prosocial behavior” most prominently when experiencing “economic exchange with strangers” and not just a religion.

Read More
782 Words | 4 Pages

In this paper, I will focus on Bonnie Steinbock’s claim on whether or not we should give equal moral consideration to species outside our own species group. I will first determine what moral concern means, according to Peter singer, and explain how he views the human treatment of animals. I will then outline Steinbock’s argument against Singer’s position and explain how her criticism is part of a much broader issue: that is moral concern. I will finally make my argument against Steinbock as well as address any issues she could possibly raise against my argument. Peter Singer believed that all species, whether it be human or non-human, deserve equal consideration of interests and quality of life.

Read More
969 Words | 4 Pages

Animals who are able to surpass these barriers are able to receive our empathy and their rights, but in Jeremy Rifkin’s, “A Change of Heart About Animals,” he talks ideas about all animals should receive our empathy for great acts of the few. The individual animal receive its equal rights, not by a single entity achieving it for the mass, but by the individual must showing intelligences, emotions and feelings, and most importantly, the ability to co-exist with others; including human and other animals alike. An animal must show intelligences, the ability to communicate, solve problems, and follow simple instructions. In “A Change of Heart About Animals,” Rifkin refers to a gorilla, named Koko, who learned sign language.

Read More
624 Words | 3 Pages

What distinguishes humans from animals is the sense of virtue and morality, yet some people

Read More
1507 Words | 7 Pages

Questions of morality are abstract and extremely touchy. They are subject to enduring debates regarding its origins, nature, and limits, with no possibility of a consensus. Although the theories on morality often pursue diverse angles, among the most interesting ones that have come up in recent times revolve around the question whether human beings are born with an innate moral sense. Some scholars hold the view that humans are born with an inherent sense of morality while others believe the opposite that humans are not born with an innate moral sense holds true. By using Steven Pinker’s

Read More
1600 Words | 7 Pages

The maternal bond is considered the strongest bond two humans can have. Since birth, a child is enamoured with his mother, the gentle soul who brought him into the world. Nothing compares to a mother’s unconditional love, as she forms an inseparable and essential bond with her little angel. Of course, not every child is as fortunate. If the parent that brings an innocent child into the world neglects their duties, the child faces adversities.

Read More
1240 Words | 5 Pages

Introduction: In the movie, Fat, Sick & Nearly Dead 2 (2014), portrays a man, Joe Cross, who motivates people all around the world with his healthy lifestyle and how it has changed his life around. Cross meets up with experts and invites them to talk on his documentary about how to maintain the long-term effects of eating healthy and improving overall health. Traveling around the world, Cross has small events where he talks about rebooting and where he shares or an audience shares their reboot story. Reboot is a diet; basically a diet where its main function is to maintain a healthy lifestyle, lose weight, revamp energy, and improve overall happiness.

Read More
1170 Words | 5 Pages

In human history, a number of oppressed groups have campaigned for equality, demanding for an expansion on the moral view of life, and to be treated fairly in the eye of consideration. This means that when the matter concerns this group, their voices are heard, and treated with value, and consideration. Where this equality is not determined by an assembly of facts like that group’s collective intelligence level, the colour of their skin, or the physical strength of their bodies. This is what Peter Singer brings up in his essay: “All Animals are Equal”, that non-human animals should have equal consideration with humans when matters concern them. Going into a specific set of non-human animals known as primates, I argue that primates should have some of the fundamental rights and equal consideration that are given to humans.

Read More
300 Words | 2 Pages

The primate parenting process in general requires a lot more investment compared to that of other mammals. They take a long time to reproduce, which places a high value on the offspring that they do have. Primates give birth to one single offspring at a time, and that offspring has a long maturation process into adulthood relative to that of most mammals. Due to this long period that primates take to become fully mature and the high value placed on current offspring because of slow reproduction, mothers spend lots of time and effort raising and providing for their young. Primate social groups have a vast range and mainly differ in the number of a particular gender is present in each society.

Read More
964 Words | 4 Pages

She revealed that gorillas also have family as human, where male and female gorillas within a group share a strong bond. For example when a male member of group dies, the females will leaves the group. The mother gorilla shares a strong relationship with the offspring. Mother gorillas tenderly care for their babies and cling to the mother’s abdomen or on her side until the infant becomes independent about a year old. She also discovered that many human behaviors such as playing and tickling, exhibited by children in playground are shared by gorillas when she saw an old gorilla tickle a baby with a flower like a kindly grandfather.

Read More
1634 Words | 7 Pages

Thesis Statement: Origin of Morality Outline A.Universal Ethics 1.Karl Barth, The Command of God 2.Thomas Aquinas, The Natural Law 3.Thomas Hobbes, Natural Law and Natural Right 4.Immanuel Kant, The Categorical Imperative B.Morality and Practical Reason 1.Practical Reason a.Practical Reason and Practical Reasons C.Evolution of Morality 1.What makes Moral Creatures Moral 2.Explaining the Nature of Moral Judgments F. Answering Questions 1. What is the origin of Morality: Religion or Philosophy? 2. What does religion say about morality?

Read More
1671 Words | 7 Pages

His findings indicate that children are naturally helpful and cooperative, and as they grow, their outlook and behavior is modeled by their surroundings. Children base their behavior on the social values of their society; for example, neither a child nor an adult is likely to simply walk away from an interaction in the middle with no warning. Apes, on the other hand, demonstrate the ability to share and cooperate, but often choose not to. They do not seem to have the same sense of community or social responsibility that Tomasello believes is innate in humans. That natural sense of community is one reason Tomasello believes that we see pro social behavior so early in human

Read More

More about Analysis Of The Bonobo And The Atheist By Frans De Waal

Related Topics

Open Document