The sturdiest pillars of human morality are compassion and a sense of justice. — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
Chimps don't have language. Humans actively instruct others about how things should be done. Chimpanzees probably pick up cultural traditions by observation. — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
You should know as much as you can about the human species if you have a hand in designing human society. — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
To endow animals with human emotions has long been a scientific taboo. But if we do not, we risk missing something fundamental,… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
There's a long tradition in Western thought that humans are not shackled by biology, whereas animals are pure instinct machines. — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
“humans are a strange lot. We have the power to analyze and explore the world around us, yet panic as soon as… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
The primate laugh is given in playful contexts, and as such has a strong similarity to the human laugh. — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
When someone brutally kills someone else, we call him "animalistic." But we consider ourselves "human" when we give to the poor. — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
When humans behave murderously, such as inflicting senseless slaughter of innocents in warfare, we like to blame it on some dark, 'animalistic'… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
Most exotic animals are not particularly interested in people, which makes it hard to provoke them. Human-rearing gets them used to and… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
Popular culture bombards us with examples of animals being humanized for all sorts of purposes, ranging from education to entertainment to satire… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
Experiments with animals have long been handicapped by our anthropocentric attitude: We often test them in ways that work fine with humans… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
To neglect the common ground with other primates, and to deny the evolutionary roots of human morality, would be like arriving at… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
We, who think like animals living in small groups, must structure a global world. We believe in universal human rights and believe… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
If you want to design a successful human society you need to know what kind of animal we are. Are we a… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
In humans, the family prevents infanticide. Next to language, the core family, consisting of a mother, a father and children, is the… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
I think the sense of fairness in humans is very strongly developed, and that's why we react so strongly to all the… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
Humans became easy prey when they moved from the forest to the savanna, which deprived them of the option of climbing trees… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
We start out postulating sharp boundaries, such as between humans and apes, or between apes and monkeys, but are in fact dealing… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
It is not only visitors to the zoo who are fascinated but uneasy in the presence of chimpanzees; the same is true… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
Why not assume that our humanity, including the self-control needed for livable societies, is built into us? Does anyone truly believe that… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
Contrary to general belief, humans imitate apes more than the reverse. The sight of monkeys or apes induces an irresistible urge in… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
I sometimes try to imagine what would have happened if we’d known the bonobo first and the chimpanzee only later—or not at… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
Socialism cannot function, because its economic reward structure is contrary to human nature. — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
Armies are a purely human invention. Most soldiers who go to war nowadays don't even do it because they're inherently aggressive. — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
The fact that the apes exist and that we can study them is extremely important and makes us reflect on ourselves and… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
You should know as much as you can about the human species if you have a hand in designing human society. Of… — Frans de Waal Copy Share Image
If both parties have a stake in the other, the chances of them killing each other are going to be reduced. — Frans de Waal Copy Share
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… — Frans de Waal Copy Share
Unlike the primate hand, the elephant's grasping organ is also its nose. Elephants use their trunks not only to reach food but also to… — Frans de Waal Copy Share
The possibility that empathy resides in parts of the brain so ancient that we share them with rats should give pause to anyone comparing… — Frans de Waal Copy Share
“on August 16, 1996, when an eight-year-old female gorilla named Binti Jua helped a three-year-old boy who had fallen eighteen feet into the primate… — Frans de Waal Copy Share
We start out postulating sharp boundaries, such as between humans and apes, or between apes and monkeys, but are in fact dealing with sand… — Frans de Waal Copy Share
Perhaps it's just me, but I am wary of any persons whose belief system is the only thing standing between them and repulsive behavior. — Frans de Waal Copy Share
Personally, I think it is possible to build a society that is moral on a nonreligious basis, but the jury is still out on… — Frans de Waal Copy Share
“humans are a strange lot. We have the power to analyze and explore the world around us, yet panic as soon as the evidence… — Frans de Waal Copy Share
Armies are a purely human invention. Most soldiers who go to war nowadays don't even do it because they're inherently aggressive. — Frans de Waal Copy Share
There's actually a lot of evidence in primates and other animals that they return favors. — Frans de Waal Copy Share
“In a world divided by chimpophiles and bonobophiles, we all had a good laugh when Stephen peeled his banana. (62)” — Frans de Waal Copy Share
In Africa, we have the bush meat trade, which means that, on a very large scale, animals are being killed in the forests and… — Frans de Waal Copy Share
