Good natured : the origins of right and wrong in humans and other animals

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Bibliographic Information

Good natured : the origins of right and wrong in humans and other animals

Frans de Waal

Harvard University Press, c1996

  • : cloth
  • : paper

Available at  / 31 libraries

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Note

Includes bibliographical references and index

Description and Table of Contents

Volume

: cloth ISBN 9780674356603

Description

To observe a dog's guilty look, to witness a gorilla's self-sacrifice for a wounded mate, to watch an elephant herd's communal effort on behalf of a stranded calf - to catch animals in certain acts is to wonder what moves them. Might there be a code of ethics in the animal kingdom? Must an animal be human to be humane? In this book, a scientist takes on those who have declared ethics uniquely human. Making a case for a morality grounded in biology, he shows that ethical behaviour, in humans and animals alike, is as much a matter of evolution as any other trait. World famous for his descriptions of Machiavellian power plays among chimpanzees - the nastier side of animal life - Frans de Waal here contends that animals have a nice side as well. Making his case through anecdotes drawn from his work with apes and monkeys bolstered by the data from continuing research by himself and others, de Waal shows us that many of the building blocks of morality are natural: they can be observed in other animals. Through his eyes, we see how not just primates but all kinds of animals, from marine mammals to dogs, respond to social rules, helping one another, sharing food, resolving conflict to mutual satisfaction, even developing a crude sense of justice and fairness. Natural selection may be harsh, but it has produced highly successful species that survive through cooperation and mutual assistance. De Waal identifies this paradox as the key to an evolutionary account of morality, and demonstrates that human morality could never have developed without the foundation of fellow feeling our species share with other animals. As his work makes clear, a morality grounded in biology leads to an entirely different conception of what it means to be human - and humane.

Table of Contents

  • Part 1 Darwinian dilemmas: survival of the unfittest
  • biologicizing morality
  • Calvinist sociobiology
  • a broader view
  • the invisible grasping organ
  • ethology and ethics. Part 2 Sympathy: warm blood in cold waters
  • special treatment of the handicapped
  • responses to injury and death
  • having broad nails
  • the social mirror
  • lying and aping apes
  • simian sympathy
  • a world without compassion. Part 3 Rank and order: a sense of social regularity
  • the monkey's behind
  • guilt and shame
  • unruly youngsters
  • the blushing primate
  • two genders, two moralities?
  • umbilical versus confrontational bonds
  • primus inter pares. Part 4 Quid pro quo: the less-than-golden rule
  • mobile meals
  • at the circle's center
  • a concept of giving
  • testing for reciprocity
  • from revenge to justice. Part 5 Getting along: the social cage
  • the relational model
  • peacemaking
  • rope walking
  • baboon testimony
  • draining the behavioural sink
  • community concern. Part 6 Conclusion: what does it take to be moral?
  • floating pyramids
  • a hole in the head.
Volume

: paper ISBN 9780674356610

Description

To observe a dog's guilty look. to witness a gorilla's self-sacrifice for a wounded mate, to watch an elephant herd's communal effort on behalf of a stranded calf--to catch animals in certain acts is to wonder what moves them. Might there he a code of ethics in the animal kingdom? Must an animal be human to he humane? In this provocative book, a renowned scientist takes on those who have declared ethics uniquely human Making a compelling case for a morality grounded in biology, he shows how ethical behavior is as much a matter of evolution as any other trait, in humans and animals alike. World famous for his brilliant descriptions of Machiavellian power plays among chimpanzees-the nastier side of animal life--Frans de Waal here contends that animals have a nice side as well. Making his case through vivid anecdotes drawn from his work with apes and monkeys and holstered by the intriguing, voluminous data from his and others' ongoing research, de Waal shows us that many of the building blocks of morality are natural: they can he observed in other animals. Through his eyes, we see how not just primates but all kinds of animals, from marine mammals to dogs, respond to social rules, help each other, share food, resolve conflict to mutual satisfaction, even develop a crude sense of justice and fairness. Natural selection may be harsh, but it has produced highly successful species that survive through cooperation and mutual assistance. De Waal identifies this paradox as the key to an evolutionary account of morality, and demonstrates that human morality could never have developed without the foundation of fellow feeling our species shares with other animals. As his work makes clear, a morality grounded in biology leads to an entirely different conception of what it means to he human--and humane.

Table of Contents

Prologue Darwinian Dilemmas Survival of the Unfittest Biologicizing Morality Calvinist Sociobiology A Broader View The Invisible Grasping Organ Ethology and Ethics Photo Essay: Closeness Sympathy Warm Blood in Cold Waters Special Treatment of the Handicapped Responses to Injury and Death Having Broad Nails The Social Mirror Lying and Aping Apes Simian Sympathy A World without Compassion Photo Essay: Cognition and Empathy Rank and Order A Sense of Social Regularity The Monkey's Behind Guilt and Shame Unruly Youngsters The Blushing Primate Two Genders, Two Moralities? Umbilical versus Confrontational Bonds Primus inter Pares Quid pro Quo The Less-than-Golden Rule Mobile Meals At the Circle's Center A Concept of Giving Testing for Reciprocity From Revenge to Justice Photo Essay: Help from a Friend Getting Along The Social Cage The Relational Model Peacemaking Rope Walking Baboon Testimony Draining the Behavioral Sink Community Concern Photo Essay: War and Peace Conclusion What Does It Take to Be Moral? Floating Pyramids A Hole in the Head Notes Bibliography Acknowledgments Index

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