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D'après une récente étude sientifique menée aux Etats-Unis, les chimpanzés et les autres grands singes ont un sens basique du bien et du mal, et sont capables de s'entraider voire d'aider les humains. D'après les chercheurs qui ont mené l'étude, la morale se serait peut être développé à travers l'évolution.
Des conclusions qui risquent de fâcher encore plus les opposants à la théorie de l'évolution!
Morality may have roots in our primate ancestors
Monkeys and apes have a basic sense of right and wrong, a new study suggests.
Although morality has always been viewed as a human trait that sets us apart from the animals, it now appears our closest ancestors share the same scruples.
Scientists have that discovered monkeys and apes can make judgements about fairness, offer sympathy and help and remember obligations.
Researchers say the findings may demonstrate morality developed through evolution, a view that is likely to antagonise the devoutly religious, who see it as God-given.
Professor Frans de Waal, who led the study at Emory University in Georgia, US, said: "I am not arguing that non-human primates are moral beings but there is enough evidence for the following of social rules to agree that some of the stepping stones towards human morality can be found in other animals."
In tests carried out by Prof de Waal, the primates were given a set of tasks to carry out and rewarded with food and affection.
But researchers discovered that the animals strongly objected if they perceived others were being rewarded more than themselves for the same task. Some even sulked or refused to take part any further.
A separate study found chimpanzees spontaneously helped both humans and each other during controlled tests.
Prof De Waal suggests the traits may have developed through natural selection. Some anthropologists believe a sense of morality developed during the last ice age when humans were forced to band together to survive in an increasingly hostile environment.
Other theories suggest communities were forced to develop social codes to stop alpha males hogging all the food supplies.
Christopher Boeham, director of the Jane Goodall Research Center, part of Southern California's anthropology department argues that anyone not following the moral code would have been killed and their 'amoral' genes lost forever.
source : Telegraph
Les chimpanzés ont aussi un code moral!
Des conclusions qui risquent de fâcher encore plus les opposants à la théorie de l'évolution!
Morality may have roots in our primate ancestors
Monkeys and apes have a basic sense of right and wrong, a new study suggests.
Although morality has always been viewed as a human trait that sets us apart from the animals, it now appears our closest ancestors share the same scruples.
Scientists have that discovered monkeys and apes can make judgements about fairness, offer sympathy and help and remember obligations.
Researchers say the findings may demonstrate morality developed through evolution, a view that is likely to antagonise the devoutly religious, who see it as God-given.
Professor Frans de Waal, who led the study at Emory University in Georgia, US, said: "I am not arguing that non-human primates are moral beings but there is enough evidence for the following of social rules to agree that some of the stepping stones towards human morality can be found in other animals."
In tests carried out by Prof de Waal, the primates were given a set of tasks to carry out and rewarded with food and affection.
But researchers discovered that the animals strongly objected if they perceived others were being rewarded more than themselves for the same task. Some even sulked or refused to take part any further.
A separate study found chimpanzees spontaneously helped both humans and each other during controlled tests.
Prof De Waal suggests the traits may have developed through natural selection. Some anthropologists believe a sense of morality developed during the last ice age when humans were forced to band together to survive in an increasingly hostile environment.
Other theories suggest communities were forced to develop social codes to stop alpha males hogging all the food supplies.
Christopher Boeham, director of the Jane Goodall Research Center, part of Southern California's anthropology department argues that anyone not following the moral code would have been killed and their 'amoral' genes lost forever.
source : Telegraph
Les chimpanzés ont aussi un code moral!
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