Frans de Waal is one of the foremost researchers in primate emotions, especially prosocial behaviors. He is the author of several books, including Primates and Philosophers: How Morality Evolved (2006), The Age of Empathy: Nature’s Lessons for a Kinder Society (2010), and The Bonobo and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the Primates (2014). … Read more
I may not be able to blog this week, since I’m going to be spending some quality time with my family, so I’m leaving you dear readers with a fascinating documentary. We’ve seen in multiple cases before the intricacies of various animals. What’s different about today’s documentary is that it showcases the interesting and intricate … Read more
One of the recurring themes in human history has been the blindness that those in power experience with regard to those they manage to subjugate. The question of the interests of the latter seldom breach the surface of the former’s consideration. We may feel enlightened that we’re way in the process of overcoming sexism, nationalism, … Read more
Whenever new technologies arise, such as the ability to genetically engineer biological organisms, one of the classic luddite objections is that such novelty represents human hubris as we attempt to “play God” and do something “unnatural.” I’ve never quite understood such objections, since we run the risk of “creating life” whenever we have a few … Read more