The Universal KinshipMoore, J. Howard (John Howard)
Philosophy
The Universal Kinship
Moore, J. Howard (John Howard)
Evolution; Human beings; Sociology
When baboons go on marauding expeditions, they show that they
realise perfectly what they are doing by moving with great stealth.
Not a sound is uttered. If any thoughtless youngster so far forgets
the necessities of the occasion as to utter a single chatter, he is
given a reminder in the shape of a box on the ear. ‘A certain Mr.
Cops, who had a young orang, gave it half an orange one day, and put
the other half away out of its sight on a high press, and lay down
himself on the sofa. But the ape’s movements, attracting his
attention, he only pretended to go to sleep. The creature came
cautiously and satisfied himself that his master was asleep, then
climbed up the press, ate the rest of the orange, carefully hid the
peel among the shavings in the grate, examined the pretended sleeper
again, and then went and lay down on his own bed.’ This incident
is recorded by Tylor in his ‘Anthropology.’ ‘And such
behaviour,’ he adds, ‘is to be explained only by supposing a
train of thought to pass through the brain of the ape somewhat
similar to what we ourselves call reason.’ These instances of
undoubted intelligence and thought might be added to almost without
number if there was room. Every person nearly who has been in the
world any length of time, and has had occasion to associate with
these so-called ‘machines,’ has seen for himself, often
unexpectedly, many flashes of brightness among them.
It has been said that man differs from other animals, and is
superior to them in the fact that he modifies his environment while
other animals do not, but are modified by environment. Mr. Lester F.
Ward makes this distinction in his ‘Pure Sociology.’ The
distinction is no nearer the truth than other distinctions of like
character that have from time to time been drawn between men and
other animals. It is not much more than half true, if it is that,
and does not by any means deserve the italics awarded to it by this
writer. Many races of non-human beings have a far greater influence
on their environment than many races of men have. Many tribes of men
wander about naked, build no habitations, make no weapons, and feed
upon the fruits, roots, insects, and such other chance morsels as
they can pick up from day to day in their wanderings. Such races are
far inferior in constructive activity to the birds, who build
elaborate houses, and to the beavers, who not only construct
substantial dwellings, but dam rivers, and cut down trees and
transport them long distances, and dig artificial waterways, to be
used as aids in their engineering enterprises. Compare the elaborate
compartments of the Australian bower-birds, surrounded with
ornamented and carefully-kept grounds, with the lean-to of many
savage tribes, made by sticking two or three palm-leaves in the
ground and leaning them against a pole. Even ants plant crops, make
clearings, build roads and tunnels, etc. It must be remembered, too,
that, however affirmative and masterful a race of men may become, it
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