Frans de Waal tries to convince us that we're all apes and that there's little difference between us except that we walk on two legs. At first you think he’s joking. Perhaps not. A global ethologist and zoologist, de Waal is best known for his work on the social intelligence of primates.

He thinks that if we ignore the importance of power struggles in the study of human nature, we're making a big mistake. In his talk, he draws constant parallels between primate and human behavior and uses politicians as examples, including visuals of where aggression can also be used for reconciliation and how it plays a positive role, not just in politics, but in business and our social lives. [Renee Blodgett]

Frans B. M. de Waal is C. H. Candler Professor of Psychology at Emory University and director of the Living Links Center for the Advanced Study of Ape and Human Evolution at the Yerkes National Primate Research Center in Atlanta.

An ethologist and zoologist, de Waal is best known for his work on the social intelligence of primates. Born in the Netherlands, he moved to the United States in 1981. His first book, Chimpanzee Politics (1982), compared the schmoozing and scheming of chimpanzees involved in power struggles with that of human politicians. Ever since, de Waal has drawn parallels between primate and human behavior. His popular books—translated into more than a dozen languages—have made him one of the world's most visible primatologists.

Facilitation graphics by Peter Durand of Alphachimp Studio
David Weinberger's blog
Renee Blodgett's blog

This presentation is the second of three in the session on Human Nature. The other two presentations are:
Malcolm Gladwell
Joel Garreau (includes Q&A from all three presentations)

This presentation is one of many from the IT Conversations archives of Pop!Tech 2004 held in Camden, Maine, October 21-23, 2004.