The Bonobo and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the Primates

The Bonobo and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the Primates PDF Author: Henry Cabot Lodge (Jr.)
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393073777
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 313

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Book Description
Moral behavior does not begin and end with religion but is in fact a product of evolution.

The Bonobo and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the Primates

The Bonobo and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the Primates PDF Author: Henry Cabot Lodge (Jr.)
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393073777
Category : Nature
Languages : en
Pages : 313

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Book Description
Moral behavior does not begin and end with religion but is in fact a product of evolution.

The Bonobo and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the Primates

The Bonobo and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the Primates PDF Author: Frans de Waal
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 0393089193
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 304

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Book Description
In this lively and illuminating discussion of his landmark research, esteemed primatologist Frans de Waal argues that human morality is not imposed from above but instead comes from within. Moral behavior does not begin and end with religion but is in fact a product of evolution. For many years, de Waal has observed chimpanzees soothe distressed neighbors and bonobos share their food. Now he delivers fascinating fresh evidence for the seeds of ethical behavior in primate societies that further cements the case for the biological origins of human fairness. Interweaving vivid tales from the animal kingdom with thoughtful philosophical analysis, de Waal seeks a bottom-up explanation of morality that emphasizes our connection with animals. In doing so, de Waal explores for the first time the implications of his work for our understanding of modern religion. Whatever the role of religious moral imperatives, he sees it as a “Johnny-come-lately” role that emerged only as an addition to our natural instincts for cooperation and empathy. But unlike the dogmatic neo-atheist of his book’s title, de Waal does not scorn religion per se. Instead, he draws on the long tradition of humanism exemplified by the painter Hieronymus Bosch and asks reflective readers to consider these issues from a positive perspective: What role, if any, does religion play for a well-functioning society today? And where can believers and nonbelievers alike find the inspiration to lead a good life? Rich with cultural references and anecdotes of primate behavior, The Bonobo and the Atheist engagingly builds a unique argument grounded in evolutionary biology and moral philosophy. Ever a pioneering thinker, de Waal delivers a heartening and inclusive new perspective on human nature and our struggle to find purpose in our lives.

Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist

Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist PDF Author: Frans de Waal
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
ISBN: 1324007117
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 515

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Book Description
“Every new book by Frans de Waal is a cause for excitement, and this one is no different. A breath of fresh air in the cramped debate about the differences between men and women. Fascinating, nuanced, and very timely.” —Rutger Bregman, author of Humankind: A Hopeful History In Different, world-renowned primatologist Frans de Waal draws on decades of observation and studies of both human and animal behavior to argue that despite the linkage between gender and biological sex, biology does not automatically support the traditional gender roles in human societies. While humans and other primates do share some behavioral differences, biology offers no justification for existing gender inequalities. Using chimpanzees and bonobos to illustrate this point—two ape relatives that are genetically equally close to humans—de Waal challenges widely held beliefs about masculinity and femininity, and common assumptions about authority, leadership, cooperation, competition, filial bonds, and sexual behavior. Chimpanzees are male-dominated and violent, while bonobos are female-dominated and peaceful. In both species, political power needs to be distinguished from physical dominance. Power is not limited to the males, and both sexes show true leadership capacities. Different is a fresh and thought-provoking approach to the long-running debate about the balance between nature and nurture, and where sex and gender roles fit in. De Waal peppers his discussion with details from his own life—a Dutch childhood in a family of six boys, his marriage to a French woman with a different orientation toward gender, and decades of academic turf wars over outdated scientific theories that have proven hard to dislodge from public discourse. He discusses sexual orientation, gender identity, and the limitations of the gender binary, exceptions to which are also found in other primates. With humor, clarity, and compassion, Different seeks to broaden the conversation about human gender dynamics by promoting an inclusive model that embraces differences, rather than negating them.

Bonobo Handshake

Bonobo Handshake PDF Author: Vanessa Woods
Publisher: Penguin
ISBN: 1101528834
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 254

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Book Description
A young woman follows her fiancé to war-torn Congo to study extremely endangered bonobo apes-who teach her a new truth about love and belonging. In 2005, Vanessa Woods accepted a marriage proposal from a man she barely knew and agreed to join him on a research trip to the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country reeling from a brutal decade-long war that had claimed the lives of millions. Settling in at a bonobo sanctuary in Congo's capital, Vanessa and her fiancé entered the world of a rare ape with whom we share 98.7 percent of our DNA. She soon discovered that many of the inhabitants of the sanctuary-ape and human alike-are refugees from unspeakable violence, yet bonobos live in a peaceful society in which females are in charge, war is nonexistent, and sex is as common and friendly as a handshake. A fascinating memoir of hope and adventure, Bonobo Handshake traces Vanessa's self-discovery as she finds herself falling deeply in love with her husband, the apes, and her new surroundings while probing life's greatest question: What ultimately makes us human? Courageous and extraordinary, this true story of revelation and transformation in a fragile corner of Africa is about looking past the differences between animals and ourselves, and finding in them the same extraordinary courage and will to survive. For Vanessa, it is about finding her own path as a writer and scientist, falling in love, and finding a home. Watch a Video

Peacemaking among Primates

Peacemaking among Primates PDF Author: Frans B. M. DE WAAL
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674033086
Category : Social Science
Languages : en
Pages : 309

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Book Description
Examines how simians cope with aggression, and how they make peace after fights.

Big Gods

Big Gods PDF Author: Ara Norenzayan
Publisher: Princeton University Press
ISBN: 0691169748
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 264

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Book Description
Examines how the belief in gods has lead to cooperation and sometimes conflict between groups. The author also looks at how some cooperative societies have developed without belief in gods.

Good Natured

Good Natured PDF Author: Frans B. M. DE WAAL
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 0674033175
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 369

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Book 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.

Chimpanzee Politics

Chimpanzee Politics PDF Author: Frans B. M. Waal
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780801838330
Category : Chimpanzees
Languages : en
Pages : 227

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Book Description
"Precise but eminently readable and indeed exciting... This excellent book achieves the dual goal which eludes so many writers about animal behavior -- it will both fascinate the non-specialist and be seen as an important contribution to science." -- Times Literary Supplement

The Bonobo Way

The Bonobo Way PDF Author: Susan Block
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780692323762
Category :
Languages : en
Pages : 255

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Book Description
In this unique and paradigm-changing book, internationally acclaimed and controversial sex educator Dr. Susan Block offers a brilliant new view of human sexuality, war, peace and community, inspired by a role model who isn't even human: our closest genetic cousin, the bonobo.With a provocative, humorous and engaging style that makes science fun and ecology erotic, The Bonobo Way boldly asks: What do these great apes know about sex--and the rest of life--that we don't? Here are some things we know about bonobos: They have lots of sex. They never kill each other. They empower the females.They stay younger longer.They live in peace through pleasure.And we thought humans were the smartest apes! For decades, experts have used the "killer ape" paradigm to explain why humans murder, make war, bomb and behead each other, and supposedly always will. Sure, our common chimp cousins kill, but do they tell the whole tale?Luckily, no. The Bonobo Way shows the other side of the story, presenting the bonobos as a new great ape paradigm for humanity that could change the world... or at least improve your love life. "This book is really good... something I rarely say these days! The Bonobo Way is whimsical yet serious, easy to read yet thoroughly researched, challenging yet ultimately deeply comforting. Dr. Susan Block is living proof that bonobos aren't just sexy and fun--some of them are damned smart, too."Christopher Ryan, Ph.D. author of Sex at DawnFrom the lush depths of the rainforest to the satin sheets of your bedroom, Dr. Block takes you on a fascinating journey, weaving stories, studies, theories and fantasies into possibilities and a practical path of action, presenting a very different kind of "12-Step Program" to release your "inner bonobo," help save the real bonobos from extinction and energize all facets of your life. Whether you don't know bonobos from bananas, or you think you know all about these amazing creatures, The Bonobo Way will show you the way to a happier, healthier, sexier life, and a more peaceful, sustainable culture.

Sowing Atheism: The National Academy of Sciences' Sinister Scheme to Teach Our Children They're Descended from Reptiles

Sowing Atheism: The National Academy of Sciences' Sinister Scheme to Teach Our Children They're Descended from Reptiles PDF Author: Robert Bowie Johnson, Jr.
Publisher:
ISBN: 9780970543851
Category : Religion
Languages : en
Pages : 128

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Book Description
FROM SOWING ATHEISM: “I want to put on the table, not why 85% of the members of the National Academy of Sciences reject God, I want to know why 15% of the National Academy don’t . . . How come this number isn’t zero?” NAS Spokesman Neil deGrasse Tyson, p. 14 “The evo-atheists of the NAS cannot produce any actual evidence for the origin of life, for the emergence of the sexes, or for the evolution of one distinct kind of organism into another.” p. 16 To conceal the lack of evidence for its evo-atheism (evolutionist-atheism), the NAS resorts to repetitive false affirmations, disguised tautologies, authoritative obfuscations, baiting and switching, and smearing apostate Christian lipstick on its atheist pig—all in order to mislead and manipulate its audience. (From a press release) “The evo-atheists of the NAS attempt to disguise their true motives, but the very words and phrases they use in their book expose and defeat their own abominable purpose. They try to hide their atheism, but their associates betray them. They try to hide their lack of evidence, but their own language gives them away. They try to destroy creationism, but it emerges stronger than ever. They try to misrepresent Bible-believing Christians, but their scheme backfires. They try to use enchantment to overcome their lack of truth, but it winds up ensnaring them instead.” p. 17 “Are your kids hungry for information on the origins and purpose of humanity? Do they wonder how they got here? Fix them another bowl of evo-atheism. That’s all that’s left on the shelf.” p. 22 “Science is no longer the systematic, unbiased examination of nature. It has become the interpretation of nature through the gray lens of atheism, and the tainting of all natural phenomena with that gray stain.” p. 23 “The hierarchy of the NAS has stolen true science; they are sacrificing our children to their atheism, and at the same time, destroying our children’s faith in God.” p. 27 THE WASHINGTON POST FALSIFIES EVIDENCE FOR EVOLUTION, p. 31 A FALSE PROMISE, A TABOO, AND A THREAT KEEP THE EVO-ATHEISTS IN LINE, pp. 72-77 “You most likely had never heard of Dobzhansky or Ayala before reading this book, and yet your children must go along with their bogus philosophical presumptions or fail in science class.” p. 79 “The members of the NAS hierarchy are unable to comprehend the enormous difference between saying something is true, and proving that it is true. While such a handicap has no bearing upon their respective abilities to philosophize, it categorically disqualifies them as competent scientists.” p. 80 BY ITS OWN DEFINITION OF RELIGIOUS BELIEF, THE NAS DEMONSTRATES THAT ITS EVO-ATHEISM IS JUST THAT—RELIGIOUS BELIEF, pp. 84-85 NATURAL SELECTION, THE KEY PRINCIPLE IN EVO-ATHEISM, TURNS OUT TO BE A MYSTICAL, MIRACULOUS, AND SUPERNATURAL FIGURE OF SPEECH. p. 86 THE EVO-ATHEISTS OF THE NAS ADMIT THE REALITY OF THEIR RELIGION. p. 88 “The hysterical rantings of the NAS propagandist Paul Henle blame the decline of science education in America on the ‘unwarranted’ criticism of evo-atheism. The leaders of the NAS, with their outright contempt for free speech and free thought in the science classroom, are the true villains.” p. 108