Chimps follow the golden rule!

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http://www.wired.com/wiredscience/2007/ ... -follow-t/

So much for morality being a human thing, or requiring religion..

I wonder if Orangs will be next to perform that. And thirdly dolphins.

Also, you could argue that Dogs do it as well. Take the story of Sir Peers Legh english mastiff. He protected his fallen master during the battle of Agincourt for hours, yet wasn't a war trained dog. Was it protection because the dog thought he would get a treat? Or simply loyalty or love, which would argue that it could be selflessness.

No, it's not a purely human thing nor does it require religion. It's a form of behavior that could of evolved via natural selection as it increases chances for survival. It's not surprising that chimps do this, being our closest genetic cousins.

I think chimpanzees are a lot more "human" than we realize. On that "Planet Earth" documentary they showed a couple of tribes of chimps having a battle over territory. It looked like something humans would do. After the battle the victors ate some of the casualties on the opposing side. The narrator said that it is unknown why they do that. It made me think about human behaviors of which there is no logical explanation.

Now you've done it. Some idiot will find a lost scroll that talks about god taking a second rib from adam, making monkey in his grand daughters image etc etc etc

Hmm, good point. I'm rather surprised the Church hasn't tried to explain evolution by saying something like that.


And God's granddaughter being a chimp... fhew!! No wonder he doesn't like women.

That won't go down too well. Especially for those creationists who believe in a literal interpretation of genesis.

Not really news, there are loads of studies going back years on altruism among non-human animals, especially reciprocal altruism. IIRC, there was almost half a chapter dedicated to the subject in Campbell/Reece, the standard introductory bio text.

If grace is the principle tenet of a faith rather than good works, monkeys doing good work does not create conflict with science.

Careful... that scroll might just be in your garage buried underneath your gardening gear or some old oil cans.

Any moment now someone will swoop down from the forum menu and remind us sinners that god made them respect one another to fool the scientists and test our faith.

Lot of insults for orthodox jews here.

Do you mean someone like the above poster? Let me just reply reply to him so that people don't get too excited.



I don't remember anyone in this thread referring to Orthodox Jews, just creationists. I thought most of them were fundamentalist Christians but that's just me.

Welcome to WrongPlanet, by the way .

^
Creationists tend to be fundamentalists, but what does creationism or fundamentalism have to do with chimps doing good deeds?

A fundamentalist suggests, rather strongly, that moral behaviour is not possible without believe and guidance from organized religion(and only theirs).

I would concour that there are lots of insults against orthodox jewery, they are fundamentalists and many of us on wp do not discriminate in our derision of fundies. When I call someone a fool for believing in creation it is of little consequence to me what their particular brand of stupidity is.

SirTwittThornwaite are you suggesting that we should curtail our derision of fundies because it will upset orthodox jews?