Archer Library: Archer Book Club: November 2020

Selection of the Month

Good natured the origins of right and wrong in humans and other animals by Frans de Waal
Meeting Day: Wednesday November 18th
Time: 12pm - 1pm (Canada Central Standard Time)

Good Natured by Frans B. M. De Waal
ISBN: 0674033175
Publication Date: 2009-06-30
To observe a dog's guilty look.to witness a gorilla's self-sacrifice for a wounded mate, to watch an elephant herd's communal effort on behalf of a stranded calf--to catch animals in certain acts is to wonder what moves them. Through his eyes, we see how not just primates but all kinds of animals, from marine mammals to dogs, respond to social rules, help each other, share food, resolve conflict to mutual satisfaction, even develop a crude sense of justice and fairness. Natural selection may be harsh, but it has produced highly successful species that survive through cooperation and mutual assistance. De Waal identifies this paradox as the key to an evolutionary account of morality, and demonstrates that human morality could never have developed without the foundation of fellow feeling our species shares with other animals. As his work makes clear, a morality grounded in biology leads to an entirely different conception of what it means to he human--and humane.

The following conversation points will be used as basic prompts for discussion, food for thought, etc.

What is the central idea discussed in the book? What issues or ideas does the author explore? Are they personal, sociological, global, political, economic, spiritual, medical, or scientific?
Do the issues affect your life? How so—directly,on a daily basis, or more generally? Now or sometime in the future?
What are the implications for the future? Are there long- or short-term consequences to the issues raised in the book? Are they positive or negative...affirming or frightening?
How controversial are the issues raised in the book? Who is aligned on which sides of the issues? Where do you fall in that line-up?
Talk about specific passages that struck you as significant—or interesting, profound, amusing, illuminating, disturbing, sad...? What was memorable?

Zoom information will be provided closer to the planned meeting: 12:00pm-1:00pm, November 18, 2020.