Baboon Metaphysics: The Evolution of a Social Mind

摘要: In 1838 Charles Darwin jotted in a notebook, 'He who understands baboon would do more towards metaphysics than Locke.' "Baboon Metaphysics" is Dorothy L. Cheney and Robert M. Seyfarth's fascinating response to Darwin's challenge.Cheney Seyfarth set up camp Botswana's Okavango Delta, where they could intimately observe baboons their social world. Baboons live groups of 150, including handful males eight or nine matrilineal families females. Such numbers force form complicated mix short-term bonds for mating longer-term friendships based on careful calculations status individual need.But concerned with much just baboons' organization - aim fully comprehend the intelligence that underlies it. Using innovative field experiments, authors learn baboons, as humans, family friends hold key mitigating ill effects grief, stress, anxiety.Written scientist's precision nature-lover's eye, gives us an unprecedented compelling glimpse into mind another species.