Just over 40 years ago, Frans de Waal introduced the world to
Big Mama
,
Yeroen
,
Luit
,
Nikkie
and the other members of a group of chimpanzees at Arnhem Zoo in the Netherlands.
His 1982 book,
The Politics of Chimpanzees
, was a revolutionary narrative.
He opened the eyes of countless readers to see chimpanzees as deeply social, wonderfully complicated, and fascinating beings.
De Waal invited the reader to realize that “human” social drama—the messy, wonderful, and terrifying reality of politics, emotions, betrayals, and friendships—was not limited to us.
It was de Waal's ability to translate data about the lives of these chimpanzees into a narrative about being, about people, about the soap opera of primate life that was so impactful.
The book set a standard and to this day is used in classrooms and found in bookstores around the planet.
De Waal demonstrated how a behavioral scientist can develop a solid scientific understanding of another species and relate it into a rich, even lyrical narrative about the emotions, conflicts, and experience of primate personality.
Over the past four decades, Frans de Waal played a leading role in changing the way humans view chimpanzees, bonobos, and other animals, forcing the recognition that humans are not the only primates, or animals, with personal relationships, communities and complex societies.
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Frans de Waal, the primatologist who connected the essences of humans and apes, dies
For half a century, de Waal's innovation in research shaped primatology and much of the behavioral sciences.
From groundbreaking studies of peacemaking and post-conflict denial to eloquent and powerful analyzes of the behavior and biology of chimpanzees, bonobos, and a variety of monkey species, de Waal and his many students and collaborators crafted new methods, theories and possibilities for a primatology that recognized humans as primates and other primates not only as biological cousins, but also familial cousins.
De Waal showed us that the phrase “primates are family” is not a metaphor, but an affirmation of reality: we are relatives.
While his early works offered beautiful narratives of the deep, rich social tapestries of primate life, it was in the last two decades that de Waal expanded beyond behavioral data and ventured into the philosophy of why we , and the rest, we are as we are.
Drawing on his work and that of his students and collaborators with many primates and other animal species, de Waal delved into the “why” questions that humans ask over and over again.
What is morality and where does it come from?
Why do we love and hate, or feel deeply for some and not for others?
Why do so many human beings have faith and others do not?
Where does our sense of justice come from?
What is gender and sexuality and why are they so complicated?
There has never been a shortage of books addressing these questions, but de Waal's approach offered something that most other books did not: he began every explanation, reflection, and argument firmly rooted in the knowledge that humans are animals, a type mammal called primate.
He knew that to truly understand humans we must understand our relatives, near and far, for they have much to tell us if we know how to listen.
De Waal based his philosophical approach to humanity on the science of social relations within and between species, focusing on the deep closeness that unites humans with the rest of the world, but also highlighting the distinctive differences that can make Homo
sapiens
the most wonderful and most horrible species that exists.
When I heard that Frans de Waal had passed away, a sense of loss came over me.
Although I had only met him in person a few times, I couldn't help but feel as if a substantial tear or hole in the social media that de Waal so often crafted was hanging in the air.
I should note that, as a scientist, I maintain and have written about some disagreements with de Waal about details of human morality, social justice and beliefs, and what we can learn from bonobos or chimpanzees about them.
But in those first moments when I learned of his death there were none of those arguments, but rather my head was filled with a compilation of de Waal's words, the numerous articles, books and talks that I read, listened to and returned to. and again.
Despite the sense of loss that death brings, I found comfort in the fact that, like so many others, my mind and my perceptions of the world have been and will continue to be shaped by the work, care and commitment of Frans de Waal .
I am honored to be part of the multitude of humans who owe a great debt to Frans de Waal for teaching us to see, understand and relate better to ourselves and to the other animals, near and far, with whom we share the world.
How do we honor someone who has given so much to the world of knowledge, care and understanding?
Recognizing their contributions and the lasting impact of their work and teachings is a good start.
But in the case of De Waal, I think the best tribute we can pay is to read his work.
I and many other scholars will continue to use his work in classes and people around the world will continue to read his books.
Through his writings, and his compassion and depth, Frans de Waal will continue to shape how we think and act for generations to come.
Agustín Fuentes
is an evolutionary anthropologist, professor at Princeton University (United States) and author of
The Creative Spark.
How imagination made us human
(Ariel).
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