On Humans A Natural History of Equality ~ Sarah Brosnan
Oct 18, 2023
In this thought-provoking discussion, primatologist Sarah Brosnan dives into her groundbreaking research on fairness and inequity aversion in monkeys. She explores the famous cucumber-throwing experiment, linking monkey frustrations with human social inequalities. The conversation covers topics like the potential for monkeys to adopt egalitarian norms and how fairness enhances cooperation. Brosnan also examines whether animals have concepts of property rights and what these behaviors reveal about human moral evolution, prompting a fascinating exploration of our shared nature.
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Monkey's Cucumber Throwing Incident
- The famous cucumber-grape video shows a monkey throwing a cucumber after seeing a friend get a better reward.
- This visual resonates deeply because humans have all felt unfairness and frustration like that monkey.
Inequity Aversion Linked to Cooperation
- Inequity aversion appears mostly in species that routinely cooperate, like capuchins and chimpanzees.
- This likely evolved as a mechanism to detect when a social or cooperative partner takes unfair advantage.
Primate Inequity Responses Are Emotional
- Inequity reactions in primates seem emotional, not calculated.
- They likely develop over time from repeated unequal treatment rather than immediate rational assessments.
