If you ask anyone, what is morality based on? These are the two factors that always come out: One is reciprocity, … a sense of fairness, and the other one is empathy and compassion.

I call the notion that we are nothing but killer apes the Beethoven fallacy. Beethoven was disorganized and messy, and yet his music is the epitome of order.

Socialism cannot function, because its economic reward structure is contrary to human nature.

Females avoid conflict. They are afraid of violence. The males, on the other hand, are less averse to strife. But once conflict breaks out, the males are much better at reconciling. In a study done in Finland, children who had quarreled were asked how much longer they intended to be angry at one another. The boys proudly said: "Oh, at least one or two days." The girls said "forever".

The chimpanzees could tear me apart in no time. They're many times stronger than we are.

Humanity is actually much more cooperative and empathic than [it's] given credit for.

We are by far the most contradictory of all primates. An animal with this much internal conflict has never lived on this earth.