Anthropologist Donald Symons is as amazed as we are at…
““Anthropologist Donald Symons is as amazed as we are at frequent attempts to argue that monogamous gibbons could serve as viable models for human sexuality, writing, "Talk of why (or whether) humans pair bond like gibbons strikes me as belonging to the same realm of discourse as talk of why the sea is boiling hot and whether pigs have wings.””
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
The quote mocks the absurdity of comparing human monogamy to gibbon behavior, highlighting flawed analogies in scientific discourse.
In simple terms: Comparing humans to gibbons is a ridiculous analogy.
Key Takeaway
Avoid oversimplified animal comparisons in human studies.
Themes
science
analogy
human behavior
critique
Mood
skeptical
critical
ironic
Type
analytical
satirical
When to use this quote
- academic research
- public policy
- education
- media reporting
Key Concepts
evolutionary biology
misinterpretation
reductionism
Questions to Reflect On
- What evidence would make an animal analogy valid?
- How do cultural factors reshape human relationships?
A Different Perspective
Such comparisons ignore complex cultural and biological differences.