From Aggression to Empathy: Understanding Human Interaction

This chapter delves into the shift from examining aggression to understanding conflict resolution, emphasizing the roles of empathy and reconciliation in social interactions. The speakers present an optimistic view of human nature, supported by scientific literature that underpins the motivations behind our behaviors.

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Episode notes

Frans de Waal is an acclaimed Dutch primatologist and ethologist. He's written and published numerous books, including 'Chimpanzee Cultures,' 'Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?', 'Mam's Last Hug,' and his most recent book, 'Different: Gender Through the Eyes of a Primatologist.'

In this episode, Frans de Waal and I discuss a number of things, including the instinct for reciprocal cooperation, the characteristics of sex and gender, the necessity of play, reconciliation, how we mismeasure animals, and much more. Thanks for watching.

—Links—

Read Frans de Waal's books:

https://www.amazon.com/Frans-De-Waal/e/B000APOHE0%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share

—Chapters—

[0:00] Intro

[6:44] A Background in Ethology

[9:46] The Social Organization of Chimpanzees

[12:11] Supporters Make Chimps Dominant

[15:56] An Instinct for Reciprocal Cooperation

[17:37] Female Choice in Sexual Selection

[22:45] Biology's Victorian Beginnings

[24:37] Bonobo's Collective Dominance