The Michael Shermer Show The Myth of Human Exceptionalism: Why Humans Aren’t as Special as We Think
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Oct 21, 2025 In this riveting discussion, Harvard primatologist Christine Webb dives into the myth of human exceptionalism, challenging our belief in human superiority. She explores the evolutionary roots of morality in primates and argues that our understanding of intelligence is deeply flawed and culture-dependent. Webb critiques the ethical implications of invasive animal research and highlights the need for interdisciplinary approaches to tackle the ecological crisis, reminding us that we are not as unique as we think.
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Primate Inequity Aversion Exists
- Capuchin studies controlled for mere presence of better food and showed inequity aversion arises when a social partner gets the reward.
- Christine Webb cites this as evidence that fairness has evolutionary roots beyond humans.
Other Minds Problem Is Universal
- We face the same 'problem of other minds' with humans and animals because subjective experience is unverifiable.
- Christine Webb argues behavioral cues and experience provide trustworthy evidence of other minds.
Uniqueness Hypotheses Keep Failing
- Claimed cognitive rubicons like syntax, tool use, and culture have repeatedly been found in other species.
- Webb argues repeated failures of human-uniqueness hypotheses suggest abandoning exceptionalism.
