To neglect the common ground with other primates, and to deny the evolutionary roots of human morality, would be like arriving at the top of a tower to declare that the rest of the building is irrelevant, that the precious concept of "tower" ought to be reserved for the summit.

If you are a cooperative animal you need to watch what you get. If you, or even a whole community, invest in something but then a few individuals receive a much larger return, it's not a good arrangement. If it happens consistently, it's time to look for an arrangement that is more beneficial. That's why we're so sensitive to how rewards are being divided.

Bonobo studies started in the '70s and came to fruition in the '80s. Then in the '90s, all of a sudden, boom, they ended because of the warfare in the Congo. It was really bad for the bonobo and ironic that people with their warfare were preventing us from studying the hippies of the primate world.

The hamadryas baboon is a harem holder where one male mates with multiple females.

Studies of reconciliation in primates have demonstrated that if the relationship value increases between two parties they are more willing to make peace.

We justify the inequalities by saying some people are just better and smarter than others and the strong should survive and the poor can die off.

When it comes to social interaction, the chimpanzees appear to be just as intelligent as we are.