“If you want to design a successful human society you need to know what kind of animal we are. Are we a social animal or a selfish animal? Do we respond better when we're solitary or living in a group?” IfsKnowsWantNeedsHumansKindSocialAnimalSuccessfulGroupsDesignSelfishSolitaryHuman Society Author:Frans de Waal
“When it comes to social interaction, the chimpanzees appear to be just as intelligent as we are.” SocialIntelligentInteractionChimpanzeesSocial Interaction Author:Frans de Waal
“The evolutionary struggle for survival is really a self-serving series of blows and stabs, and yet it can lead to extremely social animals like dolphins, wolves or, for that matter, primates.” SelfMatterSocialAnimalStruggleSurvivalSeriesBlowServingDolphinsSelf ServingPrimatesStruggle For Survival Author:Frans de Waal
“Competitiveness is just as much a part of our nature as empathy. The ideal, in my view, is a democratic system with a social market economy, because it takes both tendencies into account.” SocialViewsEconomyEmpathyIdealsAccountsDemocraticTendenciesCompetitivenessMarket Economy Author:Frans de Waal
“Although elephants are far more distantly related to us than the great apes, they seem to have evolved similar social and cognitive capacities.” SeemsSocialCapacityRelatedElephantsApesCognitive Author:Frans de Waal
“Why not assume that our humanity, including the self-control needed for livable societies, is built into us? Does anyone truly believe that our ancestors lacked social norms before they had religion? Did they never assist others in need, or complain about an unfair deal? Humans must have worried about the functioning of their communities well before the current religions arose, which is only a few thousand years ago.” NeedsYearsBelieveHumansWellsDoeSelfHumanitySocialCommunityDealsNeededThousandBuiltYears AgoAssumingIncludingCurrentsComplainingWorriedWhy NotAncestorSelf ControlUnfairThousand YearsNormSocial Norms Author:Frans de Waal
“I've argued that many of what philosophers call moral sentiments can be seen in other species. In chimpanzees and other animals, you see examples of sympathy, empathy, reciprocity, a willingness to follow social rules. Dogs are a good example of a species that have and obey social rules; that's why we like them so much, even though they're large carnivores.” SocialAnimalMoralAtheismDogExampleEmpathySpeciesPhilosopherPositive AtheismWillingnessSentimentsReciprocityGood ExamplesChimpanzeesCarnivores Author:Frans de Waal
