Frans de Waal

Man cannot claim to have invented morality. But where exactly did morality come from? How does the notion of morality help us to behave correctly? The world-renowned primate researcher Frans de Waal answers questions about morality and religion in view of the behaviours of primates and other animals which seem astoundingly similar to us. Despite the lack of a belief in God in these non-human groups, he observes how apes behave fairly, how they cooperate and empathise with one another. His conclusion is that morality must have existed before religion. De Waal explains how religion and humanism contribute to the proper functioning of society.

Frans de Waal, born in 1948 in the Netherlands is a Biologist and a researcher of primates. He is Professor for Psychobiology at the University of Emory and Director of the Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta. He is known for his many popular-scientific books and he has been featured in the Times Magazine’s list of the world’s 100 most influential people.

Language: English

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