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| Chimpanzees engaging in consolatory behavior. Source: http://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/antenna/chimps/ |
According to a recently published study, more than half of
Americans believe that moral behavior requires the existence of God. In
other words, without God, humanity has no sense of right or wrong. Current
empirical research, however, suggests quite the opposite—that morality and
religion can be independent of one another. Morality is not derived from the
teachings of God, but is an innate capacity that is vital for the survival of
social mammals.
At the forefront of this research is Dr. Frans de Waal, a
primatologist at Emory University and the Director of Living Links at the
Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta. I had the privilege of
hearing Dr. de Waal speak in Bodek Lounge in late October 2012, after he was
invited to Penn’s campus by the Center for Neuroscience and Society. Sitting in
the third row, I listened intently to his lecture, confounded by his claims
that animals are empathetic creatures. Just that summer, I had read Howard Bloom’s
The Lucifer Principle, in which he argues that organisms are inherently
evil. Mr. Bloom’s argument corroborates the popular belief held by many
biologists and anthropologists that natural selection favors
self-interested individuals. The new and convincing evidence Dr. de Waal
presented, however, contradicted my own opinions on the cruelty of animal nature, as well as
those held by much of the scientific community until roughly a decade ago.
Unlike Mr. Bloom, Dr. de Waal offers an alternative take on
natural selection. He argues that natural selection produces pro-social
behaviors, marked by reconciliation, empathy and consolation, and fairness, that
enhance cooperation within a group necessary for its survival. Dr. de Waal’s
research on elephants and non-human primates, such as chimpanzees and bonobos, reflects
the capacity for complex empathy that motivates moral behavior in animals
capable of mirror self-recognition.*
During his lecture, Dr. de Waal shared many astounding
anecdotes demonstrating the empathetic nature of animals, one of which takes
place in a Swedish zoo. A juvenile
chimpanzee was near death after it had become entangled in a rope, which wrapped
twice around its neck. Noticing the choking juvenile, the alpha male of the
chimpanzee troop approached the juvenile, lifted it, and successfully unwrapped
the rope around its neck. This required two essential criteria necessary for
experiencing empathy: self-other distinction and perspective taking, which
allows an individual to understand the situation of another. The alpha male
understood that the proper way to save the juvenile was to lift it to relieve
the pressure of the rope, rather than pull at the rope or the juvenile, because
he was able to take on the perspective of the younger chimp. While the story
provided demonstrates a sophisticated form of empathy found in animals capable
of mirror self-recognition, less cognitively complex animals have also been
found to show signs of empathy. For example, if a rat is given the option of
saving its comrade who is trapped in a container or munching on a piece of
chocolate adjacent to that container, it will choose to save its friend half of
the time, after which they both enjoy the chocolate.
While human morality is arguably far richer than solely
pro-social behaviors found in the animal kingdom, the creation of moral
rules would surely be impossible without an innate moral capacity.
Additionally, as Dr. Frans de Waal poses in the opening chapter of his
recently published book, The Bonobo and the Atheist, “Does anyone truly
believe that our ancestors lacked social norms before they had religion?” (de
Waal 2). Morality is an ancient capacity, predating religion and even the
existence of mankind, and evidence is quickly mounting to explain its origin.
What scientists are finding is that that
origin, the origin of human morality, does not include religion.
*Mirror self-recognition, or the ability to recognize oneself in a mirror, has been positively correlated with empathy. In human children, mirror self-recognition is critical for the development of moral character.
If you enjoyed this topic and want to learn more about Dr. Frans de Waal's findings, listen to the lecture, accessible here, that he gave at the AAAS 2012 Annual Meeting in Vancouver. It is remarkably similar to the lecture he gave at Penn, and it is the source of the information I present in this post.
This blog works really well with the wallet/gun post below. I think it's interesting that the conscious mind (as stated in the blog below) tries to erase unconscious prejudices or irrational fears that would create social tensions. If humans, like elephants and other primates, are trying to become more social with one another to better ensure our survival, than our conscious goal to become more tolerant of one another makes sense. We are adapting to fit the more diverse world that we have recently formed.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely! If you're interested in the role empathy plays in human society, I recommend you read Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society by Dr. Frans de Waal. I have yet to read it, but it's on my summer reading list. In his book, Dr. de Waal analyzes empathy in mammals, providing anecdotes and evolutionary evidence. Additionally, he explores the role of empathy in politics, religion, the economy, etc. It seems like a worthwhile read!
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