Ethics aren’t an exception, they’re the rule
In a debate between Christopher Hitchens and John Haldane, one thing stood out vividly. The only argument made by John Haldane in favor of supernaturalism was that he simply could not understand where our sense of values derives from. Now, there are plenty of ways we can unpack this. Some may rightly disregard it as yet another pitiful argument from ignorance with a splash of god in the gaps. But, as I was listening, I couldn’t help but notice the way in which Haldane spoke about the sense of values we possess. It was almost as if he had never realized that other non-human animals possess some of these same values. So, drawing some inspiration from that debate I am here to talk about a few of my favorite examples of non-human animals acting virtuously. Being a sentimental animal lover, I can’t help but mention that when I first heard about some of these stories years ago it was quite an emotional, heart-warming experience. If I am successful here, you will know exactly what I mean.
When we begin to ask about the ethics of non-human animals, it is always helpful to think evolutionarily. In a nutshell, we should expect to find that the more social a species is, the greater its capacity for ethics. All social mammals such as wolves, dolphins, and monkeys have ethical codes adapted by evolution to promote group cooperation. For example, when wolf pups play with one another they have “fair game” rules — if a pup bites too hard or continues to bite an opponent that has rolled on its back, the other pups will stop playing with him. In chimps, band-dominant members are expected to respect the property rights of weaker members. If he violates this rule, he will lose status. These examples are just several out of millions. I encourage you to think about this the next time you watch dogs play.
Primates are one of the best exemplars. Not only do they avoid taking advantage of weak group members, but sometimes they actively help them. A pygmy chimpanzee male called Kidogo, who lived in the Milwaukee County Zoo, suffered from a serious heart condition that made him feeble and confused. When he was first moved to the zoo, he could neither orient himself nor understand the instructions of the human caretakers. When the other chimpanzees understood his predicament, they intervened. They often took Kidogo by the hand, and led him wherever he needed to go. If Kidogo became lost, he would utter loud distress signals, and some ape would rush to help. One of Kidogo’s main helpers was the highest-ranking male in the band, Lody, who not only guided Kidogo, but also protected him. While almost all group members treated Kidogo with kindness, one juvenile male called Murph would often tease him mercilessly. When Lody noticed such behavior, he often chased the bully away, or alternatively put a protective arm around Kidogo. In Kidogo’s last days, Lody would carry him around and serve him the tastiest morsels of food. Lody was also visibly depressed when Kidogo died from his heart condition.
Lody continued his righteousness by adopting orphans, cradling and nurturing them for weeks, and regularly assisted a blind, elderly bonobo by leading her around the enclosure. When Milwaukee acquired Brian, a troubled young bonobo who’d been abused by his father, Lody mentored him. Other troop members were disturbed by Brian’s behavior and picked on him. But through Lody’s intervention, Brian was accepted into the group, and it appears that he — not Lomako, the son of dominant matriarch Maringa — may end up being Lody’s successor.
Another touching case occurred in the jungles of Ivory Coast. Wildlife film director Mark Linfield knows the story sounds too good to be true. But incredibly, it is. Deep in the African rainforest, he was filming chimpanzees for a Disneynature wildlife documentary when the most captivating Disney-style story started unfolding in real life.
A chimp named Oscar was only three when his life was shattered by a raid from a rival band of chimps in an outbreak of gang warfare over territorial rights to the nut groves. In the violent fracas, Isha — Oscar’s mother — was injured; as she was never seen again it was presumed she fell prey to leopards in her weakened state. Too young to fend for himself, it seemed Oscar would surely die too. Utterly bereft, he searched everywhere for his mother. The other females with children rejected him. Oscar gradually lost weight, health, and vitality. But when all seemed lost, the most extraordinary thing happened. As a last resort, Oscar approached Freddy, the patriarch and alpha-male. Freddy allowed him to climb on his back and carried him through the rainforest just as Isha had done. Before long, Freddy was sharing his nest with Oscar cradled in his arms. The alpha made sure that Oscar ate well. Genetic tests proved that Freddy was not related to Oscar. We can only speculate what drove the gruff old leader to take care of the orphaned toddler, but apparently ape leaders developed an inclination to help the poor long ago.
To some folks, these examples are surprising. After all, there is a trade off for these acts of kindness. Wolves might grow up tougher if they had to fend for themselves more while playing as pups. And if one pup dies during play, more food for the rest. Lody will never get back the time he spent looking after Kidogo, Brian, or any other orphans. One of the main responsibilities of the alpha chimp is to keep the community safe. Yet, Freddy spent costly time looking after Oscar. But… Why? Perhaps there is a benefit to scratching another’s back even if they can’t scratch yours. Perhaps there is something to be said about how selfless acts enhance group cooperation and can be modeled for future generations. And perhaps we are right to cherish and champion those in our society who act in accordance with these ethical codes. Maybe we would not be here without them.
To round out this writing, I want to reiterate what inspired it. It was an appeal to the “mystery” of where human values derive from with an emphasis on how distinguished we are as humans. My point is that our human condition is not all that different from other species. Imagine if we had a chance to study the behavior of other hominid species. I presume that we certainly wouldn’t feel as unique. And we shouldn’t anyway. Sure, humans have an impressive capacity for reflective thinking, language, and creativity. But, not all of our deepest rooted values are solely human. Ethics seem to beautifully shine wherever social organisms appear.
Also, these stories came from “21 lessons for the 21st century” by Yuval Noah Harari. It’s a great book. Almost as good as his other book, “Sapiens”. Highly recommend both.
