Through the comparative study of our fellow primates we can learn a lot about what it is to be human. One valuable aspect of studying primates is looking at their cognitive capabilities in comparison to our own. Clearly, primates possess a higher level of mental capacity than some other animals, though clearly not at the same level as a human being. Observing this can provide insight into how human cognition is unique and perhaps how our ancient ancestors evolved to become the humans that we are today.

Primates do possess similarities to humans which is to be expected when considering they are our closest living relatives in the animal kingdom. We are both highly social animals with levels of cognition that seem to stand apart from other animals. Primates, including humans, are problem solvers and teachers, using tools for tasks and then teaching our young what has been learned. Such patterns of behavior can perhaps be linked back to primates who existed long before the ones living today and from which humans branched apart from in such an exclusive and adaptive way.

So while I do think there are many valuable discoveries to be made researching our fellow primates, I also think there are some dangers as well. Take the video we watched this week “The New Chimpanzee” for example. In one shocking scene, we see a male chimpanzee take a baby and bash it to death before eating it. It was truly a grisly sight but also something we can step away from and observe objectively as an act done by a wild animal, just a cruel inevitability of nature. Then at the end of the video, we see a chimpanzee witness the death of her baby. Here the narrator explains that the mother, “with a gesture so human it’s painful to watch…seems to bid her baby farewell with a kiss.” While I was undeniably touched by the scene and sentiment, I feel as though anthropomorphizing animals in such a way is treading on dangerous territory.

Projecting what emotions we expect animals to feel in reaction to how we as humans would react assumes these primates have cognitive functions we cannot prove. When it comes to studying animals and animal behavior, I always try to keep in mind Morgan’s Cannon: a more complex explanation cannot be used if the most simple explanation cannot be disproven. This is especially true when talking about animals and language. One cannot say animals possess language (in the way linguists define language) when more simple explanations, i.e. they possess less complex systems of communication, have not been disproven. I know I seem like I’m nitpicking and maybe even making a bigger deal out of this kind of thing than is necessary, but personally I think it’s important as scientists to keep in mind that we don’t even fully understand how human cognition works, let alone the cognition of other animals.

As I said before, I do believe studying our fellow primates is incredibly valuable. Looking at the drastic differences between primate and human vocal tracts and mouths has helped provide a better understanding of how human speech sounds are produced and why they are so unique. I think primatology will help us understand our human origin, both in body and mind, even more than it already has.