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Frans de Waal Quotes

Primatologist

Frans de Waal is a renowned primatologist, born on October 29, 1948. His research focuses on the social behavior and cognitive abilities of non-human primates, having a profound impact on human ethology and social psychology.

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All Humans Animal Ifs Chimpanzees Empathy Primates Apes Needs Emotions Morality Social Bonobos Homo Sapiens Males Evolution People Self Strong Two Groups

Famous Frans de Waal Quotes

“In a world divided by chimpophiles and bonobophiles, we all had a good laugh when Stephen peeled his banana. (62)”

Bonobos Banana Stephen Colbert Peeled The Colbert Report

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

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

“Most men probably wouldn't want to live the lives of bonobos. They're constantly clinging to their mothers' apron strings. They lack the ability to make decisions about their own fates, something that we and male chimpanzees practically consider our birthright.”

Men Want Mother Ability Decision Fate Males Strings Clinging Birthright Chimpanzees Aprons Bonobos

Author:Frans de Waal

“Female bonobos form a strong sisterhood. They rule through female solidarity.”

Form Strong Female Solidarity Sisterhood Bonobos

Author:Frans de Waal

“Male bonobos really don't fit the human male ideal.”

Humans Fit Ideals Males Bonobos

Author:Frans de Waal

“Bonobo studies started in the '70s and came to fruition in the '80s. Then in the '90s, all of a sudden, boom, they ended because of the warfare in the Congo. It was really bad for the bonobo and ironic that people with their warfare were preventing us from studying the hippies of the primate world.”

People World Study Ironic Warfare 80s Hippie Congo Preventing Primates Fruition Bonobos

Author:Frans de Waal

“Being both more systematically brutal than chimps and more empathetic than bonobos, we are by far the most bipolar ape. Our societies are never completely peaceful, never completely competitive, never ruled by sheer selfishness, and never perfectly moral.”

Moral Peaceful Selfishness Our Society Brutal Sheer Apes Bipolar Empathetic Bonobos

Author:Frans de Waal

“I sometimes try to imagine what would have happened if we’d known the bonobo first and the chimpanzee only later—or not at all. The discussion about human evolution might not revolve as much around violence, warfare and male dominance, but rather around sexuality, empathy, caring and cooperation. What a different intellectual landscape we would occupy!”

Source: Our Inner Ape: A Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We Are

About the Author

Born: October 29, 1948
Known for: Primatologist
Quotes: 137

Books & Sources

Mama's Last Hug: Animal Emotions and What They Tell Us about OurselvesRelated source material

The Bonobo and the Atheist: In Search of Humanism Among the PrimatesRelated source material

Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?Related source material

Our Inner Ape: A Leading Primatologist Explains Why We Are Who We AreRelated source material

Chimpanzee Politics: Power and Sex Among ApesRelated source material

Primates and Philosophers: How Morality EvolvedRelated source material

The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder SocietyRelated source material

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