Monkey Business: Emotion and Consciousness in Primates

Abstract

M onkey B usiness : E motion and C onsciousness in P rimates Manisha Rai Figure 1. Perhaps it is not so far-fetched to see animals with emotions as people have ascribed it to be. In fact, the possibilities described in the Rise of the Planet of the Apes may be closer to reality than today’s notions. The above picture is a scene from the Rise of the Planet of the Apes. “There’s calm since Hamlet’s return, but it is mostly an uneasy peace between the … orangutans. Stirring up trouble, delicate outsider Mangis zeros in on an unsuspecting Jordan for his food sack, but Jordan isn’t afraid to defend what is rightfully his. Conflict between the two communities transforms into a perilous contest in which Jordan could lose his life” (Discovery Communications 2008). Pet owners, zoo goers, and Animal Planet fans alike have all experienced a moment where they felt it was very clear what an animal was feeling. A gorilla beating its chest in anger, a rhesus monkey furrowing its eyebrows in confusion, and a chimpanzee calling out in fear are all common occurrences of animal emotion in primates. Animal Planet’s interpretation of Jordan’s bravery would be considered blatantly anthropomorphic by many scientists. Anthropomorphism is the false projection of human capabilities onto animals, such as in the Betty Thomas’ Doctor Dolittle (1998), Andrew Stanton’s Finding Nemo (2003), and the vast majority of all Disney movies. Yet, if science is the study of the natural world, why do many scientists reject observations of animal emotion rather than using them as a starting point in the investigation of animal consciousness? The question of animal consciousness has such deep implications into the human psyche that for some, conceding animal consciousness blatantly undermines the will of god. Consciousness and emotion, to some people, are uniquely human traits that can only be generated in the process of human development—a claim that is, for the most part, substantiated by the fact that human minds are far superior to those of the world’s most intelligent primates. “Why do many scientists reject observations of animal emotion rather than using them as a starting point in the investigation of animal consciousness?” Studies in evolution suggest, however, that because emotion and consciousness are such complex and advantageous mechanisms, it is likely that their origins can be traced farther back than the phylogenic split between primates and humans. Studies in animal empathy also support the suspicion of consciousness in primates, because they demonstrate that primates have “theory of mind,” or the ability to conceive of the mental faculties of other beings. Theory of mind is a good indicator of B erkeley S cientific J ournal • S cience F iction • S pring 2011• V olume 15 • I ssue 2 • 1 B S J I couldn’t help but smile in the final scene of the 1968 sci-fi classic, Planet of the Apes. The female chimp asks, “What will he [the astronaut] find out there, doctor?” and the doctor chimp answers in a slight British accent, “His Destiny.” In today’s world, how far are chimps from conceiving of a “destiny?” Very far. But primates may be at a distinct advantage over other mammals on their journey to becoming philosophers. Primates show us time and time again that they at least have emotions, if not the consciousness to recognize them. The following is an episode summary from Animal Planet’s Orangutan Island, a unique show detailing the lives of 32 captive orangutans. Hamlet is a dominant male on the island: