Frans de Waal: Primates and Philosophers

Primates and Philosophers: Evolutionary Building Blocks of Morality

In this lecture, primatologist Frans de Waal shows how empathy comes naturally to a great variety of animals, including humans. By studying social behaviors in animals, such as bonding, herd instinct, forming of trusting alliances, expressions of consolation, and conflict resolution, he demonstrates that animals - and humans - are pre-programmed to reach out, questioning the assumption that humans are inherently selfish.

Homo homini lupus – “man is wolf to man” - is an old Roman proverb popularized by Thomas Hobbes. Even though...(continue reading...)