The book Reason for Hope, by Jane Goodall, was an excellent read because Goodall explores the challenges of science and spirituality. The highlight of this book was the passages about the chimpanzees of Gombe, Africa. Goodall was devoted to these chimps and was able to strengthen her spiritual being and morals by studying these mammals. Some of her stories within these chapters are described as “tear-jerking” moments where Goodall used her philosophical views to describe her experience with the chimpanzees. Goodall expresses the events that occurred in her life pointed her toward the chimpanzees, Africa, and her field of environmental studies. Throughout the book, Goodall explains to the reader her original hypothesis on the chimpanzees. They …show more content…
experienced “adolescence, developed powerful mother-and-child bonds, and used political chicanery to get what they wanted”. They also made “war, wiping out members of their own species with almost genocidal brutality” on one occasion that was observed by Goodall. Goodall developed an intensive empathy for animals and wanted to study them in their natural habitats.
Since Goodall was an adolescent, she was fascinated with the animals on her grandmother’s farm. She was always curious about how the animals would perform natural task and often asked the question but felt, her questions were not thoroughly answered. She states “I must have kept very still or she would have been disturbed. Presently the hen half stood and I saw a round white object gradually protruding from the feathers between her legs. Suddenly with a plop, the egg landed on the straw. With clucks of pleasure, the hen shook her feathers, nudged the egg with her beak, and left. (97)” After watching the chicken lay its egg, Goodall knew she was destined to work intensively with …show more content…
nature. Goodall was sent to Gombe to “better understand chimpanzee behavior (111).” Dr. Louis Leakey sent Goodall to Gombe in hopes of receiving a “window of our past (111).” Goodall was supposed to stay in Gombe for ten years to observe the lives of chimpanzees. Originally, it was believed that chimpanzees were vicious and unpredictable creatures who lashed in violence. Their behavior was similar to human behavior and Goodall’s study was to focus on the dark side of chimpanzee nature and understand why humans behave the way we do. A series of horrible attacks was observed by one of Goodall’s co-researchers, where a “noble ape” named Passion was killing Gilka’s infant chimps and feasting on them. Passion later taught her children this behavior. Goodall concluded that “it is pointless to deny that we as humans harbor innate aggressive and violent tendencies. And so the behavior of the Gombe chimpanzees provided fuel for much theorizing, whereas I, with my work at Gombe, was trying to understand a little better the nature of chimpanzee aggression (123).” When Dr.
Louis Leakey offered Goodall a job studying chimpanzees, her destiny was about to be fulfilled. Her chimpanzee observations began to question human entity and the comparison of chimpanzees and humans. Just as humans, chimpanzees have caring relationships, are tender, and have war-like behaviors between their communities. Goodall stated “It was hard for me to believe," she recalls. "At that time, it was thought that humans, and only humans, used and made tools. I had been told from school onwards that the best definition of a human being was a man the toolmaker – yet I had just watched a chimp tool-maker in action. I remember that day as vividly as if it was yesterday.
(100)" In conclusion, Goodall original scientific methods were to observe the life of the chimpanzee and connect to human behaviors. This research would help explain certain behaviors in human beings. Goodall was able to find that the chimps acted just as humans and this is how we connect with them. Our behaviors are interchangeable and Goodall witnessed most of our similarities with the chimps.
Next of Kin tells the story of a man’s life and how it was forever changed once he was asked to become an assistant for a research project with chimpanzees. The story spans over several decades of work. It is very emotional and telling. The book allows the reader to have an intimate understanding of how the research was conducted, as well as how the world had viewed and treated chimpanzees at the time which Fouts was involved in the Washoe project.
Goodall’s experience with the bushbuck was one that she will not forget. It was almost as if the encounter wasn’t real because if how pleasant it was. She couldn’t believe that the bushbuck’s nose actually touched her. Every description she has of the bushbuck is a peaceful description. This shows how much she liked the encounter with the bushbuck.
Ishmael is a very captivating novel which teaches us valuable lessons about helping our environment. In our society, most people overlook how fundamental the environment is for our survival. The book explains how we can “save the world.” However, one should note that saving the world doesn’t necessarily mean being a superhero. We can save the world by just helping to preserve and protect the environment. The book also highlights the theme of captivity and how it is prevalent in every life form. The author, Daniel Quinn, explains captivity in a very unique way. By using a gorilla as a teacher, it gives us a different view of how we impact our planet. After reading Ishmael, it opened a whole new perspective of how I see the world.
“By the time we’re done, it’s quite possible that there will be among the great apes not a single representative left, except, that is, for us,” Kolbert deduces (225). Hunting a species has caused the endangerment and extinction of many species of animals and plants. Six out of eight species of the world’s bears are categorized as “vulnerable” or “endangered” to extinct (222). Advocating for rights of endangered species, and protecting the forests they habitat is a noteworthy method to prevent extinction caused by humans. As an individual, one could help by supporting and donating to organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund, the National Wildlife Federation, the Wildlife Conservation Society, and more (262). Humans may ease their conscience by not actively killing endangered species, but protecting them
There are contrasts in tool kits used by different groups of chimpanzees, which seem to be a result of the environment in which they live as well as information that is shared by the group. For example, in 1973 it was reported that chimpanzees in Gombe did not use hammer stones, but those of Cape Palmas did. We will explore the tool use of Chimpanzees from the wild, including Gombe, Tai National Forest, and the Congo Basin---and contrast those with Chimpanzees in captivity in locations of Zoo’s both in the United States and abroad.
Did Jane Goodall’s research find the evidence about chimp’s tool making? Is the human the only species able to make the tool? How do you correlate this with human culture?
DeFalco, Amelia. "Jungle creatures and dancing apes: modern primitivism and Nella Larsen's Quicksand." Mosaic [Winnipeg] 38.2 (2005): 19+. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
In his lecture, primatologist Robert Sapolsky explains the uniqueness of humans as well as our similarities to other primates. In doing so, he broke it down into six points of interest: aggression, theory of mind, the golden rule, empathy, pleasure in anticipation and gratification postponement, and lastly, culture. Professor Sapolsky approaches each point with interesting fact-based examples thus allowing me to gain insight on humans and other primates. Sapolsky’s knowledge of primates along with his scientific background allows him to make a clear argument that one cannot simply ignore.
This book taught me so much about how gorillas interact with each other, what they eat, how they play, etc… I could go on forever. It taught me what kind of world we live in and how important it is to keep animals alive. Dian Fossey in my eyes is the most gifted woman to ever walk the face of this world in the eyes of the Animal kingdom.
DeFalco, Amelia. "Jungle creatures and dancing apes: modern primitivism and Nella Larsen's Quicksand." Mosaic [Winnipeg] 38.2 (2005): 19+. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 15 Nov. 2013.
These questions are given a possible answer in The Great Silence when the bird explains his
Chimpanzees portray their emotions through a number of facial expressions and mannerisms. Just like humans, they undergo mood swings, jealous rages, and laughter. For instance, Goodall observed during her research that a male gorilla “would threaten [me] with an upward and backward movement jerk of his head…” Some of their emotions are easy to read, while at other times we have to look at multiple places on their faces to understand their feelings. A chimpanzee also uses its facial expressions and sounds to communicate with each other, such as hoots and yells.
Rachel Carson’s “Obligation to Endure” is an informative dissertation about the hazardous effects implemented by the careless distribution of pesticides in an uneducated society. Carson states that, “The most alarming of all man’s assaults upon the environment is the contamination of air, earth, rivers, and sea with dangerous and even lethal materials.” (Carson. Para. Intro). She exposes the dark side of these chemicals with an overall goal to raise awareness and regulate control of the substances by the government. First her goal is to make the citizens, pesticide companies, and government aware of this serious threat. Next, she hopes to not ban these pesticides, but to persuade a regulation on what amount is reasonable. Carson effectively conveniences her audience of the dangers of these chemicals by using her own credibility, apocalyptic tone, and logic.
Throughout history, people were led to believe that all humans were descendants of god. Jane Goodall, and her historical research on chimpanzees and human nature are extremely alike. Interesting facts about Jane Goodall’s childhood, her contribution to the biological community, and her impact to the world today all come together to show us how important Goodall is to chimpanzees.
There are many inspiring people that associate with Earth Day. One person that is dedicated to Earth Day is Jane Goodall. Another person that plays a part in Earth Day is Rachel Carson. Finally, a third person that contributes to Earth Day is Ansel Adams. These people have done great deed in the event of Earth Day in a variety of ways.