The Bonobo and the Atheist

De Waal should stick to biology, because he's weak on philosophy and logic. I found the discussion of “morality” in bonobos and chimps interesting and compelling. It's absolutely clear that morality doesn't depend on religion. And he seems to acknowledge that religion is just a comforting lie, but that doesn't seem to bother him. Atheists are rude to point this out, he says. No, they aren't. Aren't we all obligated to speak the truth?

Excellent book. De Waal makes a compelling case that morality has evolved “from the bottom up” by examining the behavior of primates and other animals. I particularly liked that he doesn't just cite scientific facts but draws upon art, anecdotes and his lifetime as a working scientist to explain human nature. It didn't hurt that the author and I share the same problems with the “new atheists.”