My rating:
add to my books
Loading...
The Age of Empathy: Nature's Lessons for a Kinder Society
"An important and timely message about the biological roots of human kindness."
—Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape
Are we our brothers' keepers? Do we have an instinct for compassion? Or are we, as is often assumed, only on earth to serve our own survival and interests? In this thought-provoking book, the acclaimed author of Our Inner Ape examines how empathy...more
—Desmond Morris, author of The Naked Ape
Are we our brothers' keepers? Do we have an instinct for compassion? Or are we, as is often assumed, only on earth to serve our own survival and interests? In this thought-provoking book, the acclaimed author of Our Inner Ape examines how empathy...more
Hardcover, 320 pages
Published
September 22nd 2009
by Harmony
(first published September 1st 2009)
There is a good chance some of your friends read this book. Sign in to see!
sign in »
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is currently not featured on any Listopia lists.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
544)
Reading this book constantly reminded me of our arrogance to consider that animals are not conscious, feeling beings. The author, a primatologist, does a great job recounting decades of animal research to back up his claim that both humans and our related animal cousins have a long history of community, social structure and organization, and responsibility to that community. He does an excellent job providing empirical research evidence that demonstrates that many species, particularly the gre...more
borrow the book, read chapter 7, "crooked timber" for an excellent summary of what the author intents us to understand from his book. then read the whole thing. worthwhile reading.
the genre: science with a social purpose. first, to show us the latest science of empathy, and second to dispel the idea that humans are so unique to be a mountain range emerging from the plains of other creatures, but rather we are like a high peak surrounded by smaller ones, then foothills, then l...more
the genre: science with a social purpose. first, to show us the latest science of empathy, and second to dispel the idea that humans are so unique to be a mountain range emerging from the plains of other creatures, but rather we are like a high peak surrounded by smaller ones, then foothills, then l...more
Nature is well known as "red in tooth and claw." Yet many organisms exhibit remarkable cooperative behavior:
1. A cat makes daily rounds in a geriatric clinic in Providence, Rhode Island, sniffing and observing each patient, and then selecting one to curl up and purr beside. The cat has nurtured at least 25 patients, sensing with uncanny accuracy when one is about to die .
2. In an experiment at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany, chimpanzees at a sanc...more
1. A cat makes daily rounds in a geriatric clinic in Providence, Rhode Island, sniffing and observing each patient, and then selecting one to curl up and purr beside. The cat has nurtured at least 25 patients, sensing with uncanny accuracy when one is about to die .
2. In an experiment at the Max Planck Institute in Leipzig, Germany, chimpanzees at a sanc...more
Natalie
rated it
I was a bit torn about what to give this book;it's fairly good and I agree with its message, but I didn't feel like I learned much from it.
I think the following people would find the book useful or fascinating:
- people who don't think animals feel empathy
- people who don't think animals are intelligent
- people who think empathy is a "weak" emotion and ought to be overcome
- people who think empathy is opposed to "survival of the fittest"
...more
I think the following people would find the book useful or fascinating:
- people who don't think animals feel empathy
- people who don't think animals are intelligent
- people who think empathy is a "weak" emotion and ought to be overcome
- people who think empathy is opposed to "survival of the fittest"
...more
Frans de Waal is (almost) singlehandedly turning upside down the long-held notion of humans (and other animals) as supremely selfish, concerned only with their own survival, and perhaps survival of their offspring. de Waal finds instead huge amounts of empathy, cooperation, and concern amongst species, amongst tribal and other groups, and amongst families. de Waal has studied primates for years, and just about everything we thought was unique to humans also shows up in monkeys. They can count...more
Is it just me, or does current non-fiction contain way too many personal anecdotes. Do I really care about something that happened to your brother-in-law? "Hot, Crowded, and Flat" was chock full of them. The difference between that work and "The Age of Empathy" is that there is some actual science behind de Waal's work. The "Age of Empathy" is really about several different emotions and traits thought to be uniquely human like empathy, sympathy, self awareness, ...more
This is a good book and this is an important book, even if it doesn't quite live up to its subtitle of providing prescriptions for a kinder society. What this book does offer however is an impressive survey of current and historical research which obliterates all but the faintest traces of the line dividing human from animal -- a line which was faint enough at the start. I can't see how any but the most careless of readers or intellectually dishonest persons could walk away from de Waal's *The A...more
I loved this book, and it was an interesting contrast to read it immediately after another popular-consumption book by a biologist (which I didn't like), "Why We Run" by Bernd Heinrich. Frans de Waal comes across as warm, engaging, the kind of guy who would be welcome at your dinner party. I laughed aloud at his somewhat odd Dutch humor a couple of times. His little hand-drawn sketches are also a charming touch.
The subject matter, of course, is what interested me in the first...more
The subject matter, of course, is what interested me in the first...more
This is the first book I’ve read by Frans de Waal. It is written in simple, accessible language and is positively stuffed with provocative ideas and anecdotal stories. The premise, that empathetic behaviors and tendencies predate our evolutionary pedigree, directly addresses underrepresented views in both evolutionary biology as well as popular conceptions of our own animal nature. I found his unapologetic attitude about the political implications of his work to be personally refreshing and s...more
What a fun book! Full of stories of animals taking care of each other.
A chimp found a bird stunned from hitting the glass of her enclosure. She took the bird to the highest point in the enclosure, spread its wings to set it free.
Two juvenile chimps had caught a duckling and were treating it roughly. An adult ran over, scattered the young apes, and pushed the last duck remaining into the water.
Another chimp was being given treats while her confined compan...more
A chimp found a bird stunned from hitting the glass of her enclosure. She took the bird to the highest point in the enclosure, spread its wings to set it free.
Two juvenile chimps had caught a duckling and were treating it roughly. An adult ran over, scattered the young apes, and pushed the last duck remaining into the water.
Another chimp was being given treats while her confined compan...more
Empathy, argues Dr. De Waal, is not unique to humans. It is, instead, something that can be found throughout the animal kingdom in a variety of forms, and we humans are remiss to not look at the positive traits we share with animals. I’ve heard plenty about the negative traits we share with animals, and it was fascinating (and refreshing) to read the opposite spin – that getting in touch with our animalistic instincts can, in fact, be a very good thing. This book was enlightening to me, especial...more
I am so grateful that a scientist took it upon himself to write this book. It is an up-to-date explanation of the root of human empathy, its widespread existence among other animals, and its implications for human society. Most notably, this book concludes that there are two hands guiding human society: 1) the invisible hand of the market and 2) the hand of compassion. Scientific investigations have time and again concluded that people tend toward cooperation, a sense of fairness, and sharing mo...more
view 1 comment
Frans de Waal, a primatologist, writes a book with an interesting premise: that humans innately from a biological standpoint naturally want to help each other and the "community" (tribe, family, country, etc) as whole rather than be selfish. His main theme is to counter those (mainly conservative) politicians, policy makes, businessmen who justify that we are naturally selfish and our basic nature is "survival of the fittest." It's an interesting book; an easy read. I like an...more
You've got to love a book about primates that has chapter headings with quotes by Adam Smith and Immanuel Kant. And that's why this book is so exceptional, it makes you reconsider what is so special about our species in the first place and whether the Western concept of human exceptionalism is even a healthy trait to begin with.
Are concepts of justice, equality and empathy really glorious creations of the enlightenment or are they simply labels for phenomena that occur across the an...more
Are concepts of justice, equality and empathy really glorious creations of the enlightenment or are they simply labels for phenomena that occur across the an...more
Do you know that study that showed that capuchin monkeys would refuse to continue to complete a task if it saw that another monkey was getting a better reward for the same task? The capuchin monkeys would refuse cucumbers that they would usually happily work for if they saw a nearby monkey get a coveted grape.
This book is written by the man who ran that study!
I loved this book. The author has a keen eye for noting interesting facets of human and animal behavior. He sees larger...more
This book is written by the man who ran that study!
I loved this book. The author has a keen eye for noting interesting facets of human and animal behavior. He sees larger...more
This has become one of my favorite books, purchased in audiobook format, listened to twice. Excellent! Gave it as a gift to two people this year. This book discusses the origins of empathy and illustrates its importance in the evolution of human beings and other animals. We certainly didn't get this far by preying on one another and competing incessantly, even if that is the version of "human nature" we're peddled these days to justify and rationalize the systems and institutions curre...more
After knowing one's self and figuring out the world and your place in it, empathy is the next important thing, and I have mentioned such many times in my own writing. So, that would be me excited about this book.
Frans points out how right-wingers and calculating capitalists will readily embrace evolution--under the guise of Social Darwinism--to bolster their view that life is a competition, survival of the fittest. So maximizing personal gain at whatever cost to others becomes justif...more
Frans points out how right-wingers and calculating capitalists will readily embrace evolution--under the guise of Social Darwinism--to bolster their view that life is a competition, survival of the fittest. So maximizing personal gain at whatever cost to others becomes justif...more
It's true many people equate human kindness and other notions of justice, compassion and forgiveness as something separately human. Primatologist, de Waal makes an excellent case that animals too demonstrate compassion and kindness. The time of thinking 'bad' human behavior should be labeled 'animalistic' or 'wild' should now be considered a way of the past...
Nothing wrong with the book, and it makes a few interesting points involving primate research and especially the 'human-ness of animals. The major drawback is that this book doesn't deal with real humans except for a few easy chip shots as the current wealth disparity. Not a bad book if you want to learn about animals, but not the most relevant to people.
I heard the author interviewed on NPR and thought it sounded like a Darwin 2.0 book, which interested me. The book talks through some of primate behaviors we have hardwired into our innate conscious. There's lots of application to better understanding these primal behaviors in our modern lives. Fascinating and fun read.
Great read! de Waal makes compelling correlations between primate studies and our own nature. Using historical, economic and popular political culture references, shows that caring and empathy are natural to our species. Pokes holes in the rhetoric used enforce the 'survival of the fittist' standard that many use to justify acts such as war and greed. Every debate about government and society makes huge assumptions about human nature, which are presented as if they come straight out of biology. ...more
"The Invisible Helping Hand"
"Students of law, economics, and politics lack the tools to look at their own society with any objectivity"
"With monkeys and apes around every corner, no rain forest culture has ever produced a religion that places humans outside of nature"
"Students of law, economics, and politics lack the tools to look at their own society with any objectivity"
"With monkeys and apes around every corner, no rain forest culture has ever produced a religion that places humans outside of nature"
Lots of interesting animal stories. Easy to read but a little long winded and redundant in places.
I enjoyed it at one level but I think he diluted his own message with stretched criticisms of others (Dawkins). That distracted me from fully appreciating the book.
I enjoyed it at one level but I think he diluted his own message with stretched criticisms of others (Dawkins). That distracted me from fully appreciating the book.
The author takes the evolutionary cliche "survival of the fittest" and reveals it to be a shallow, oversimplification of the origin of the human species. Humans developed empathy and learned to form successful societies through cooperation, much as apes and other social animals did.
After the Xmas 06 tsunami, European psychologists flocked to the sites in an attempt to help survivors with their PTSD.
They discovered that talking with afflicted people one-on-one was in fact INCREASING their stress, further isolating them from their social responsibility.
They eventually realized they had to treat villages as a whole as the social unit, facilitating their taking care of each other, rather than helping individuals.
Because we forgot that our happiness is heavily...more
They discovered that talking with afflicted people one-on-one was in fact INCREASING their stress, further isolating them from their social responsibility.
They eventually realized they had to treat villages as a whole as the social unit, facilitating their taking care of each other, rather than helping individuals.
Because we forgot that our happiness is heavily...more
I do think that de Waal's way of reading human ideals into animal behavior, while they make for a good book, aren't necessarily the best science. Still, it was interesting.
Iedereen moet kennis hebben over de intelligentie van primaten, hun samenwerking en empathie. Dat heeft consequenties hoe we met dieren omgaan.
Highest marks for this book. Uses examples from the animal world to reflect on human motivations.
Energizing and optimistic.
Energizing and optimistic.
A rewarding read, especially for those who wish to reach a reasonable middle ground between the half-truths of both the economically ignorant "collectivists" and the self-righteously greedy "social Darwinists".
...values we need taught by animals. scholarly yet smooth read. (read sonetime prior to date indicated)
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Readers Also Enjoyed
"Frans B.M. de Waal, PhD (born 29 October 1948, 's-Hertogenbosch), is a Dutch psychologist, primatologist and ethologist. He is the Charles Howard Candler professor of Primate Behavior in the Emory University psychology department in Atlanta, Georgia, and director of the Living Links Center at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center and author of numerous books including Chimpanzee Politi...more
More about Frans de Waal...
Share This Book
No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »
