The naked monkey

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The Naked Ape (Engl. The Naked Ape. A Zoologist's Study of the Human Animal ) is a 1967 book published by the British zoologist Desmond Morris . In it, Morris describes scientific findings about the history of development and the nature of humans in an understandable manner. It has been translated into 23 languages ​​and reprinted in several sequels in the British Daily Mirror newspaper . The title refers to the fact that of the 193 different existing terrestrial primate species only humans have no fur.

content

In this book the author presents essential aspects of human existence. First he describes the origin and developmental development of the human species, then human sexuality and its evolutionary significance. In the following, he describes the rearing, upbringing and treatment of the offspring, and finally aspects such as curiosity, struggle, food intake and personal hygiene.

Volker Sommer judged the work: “The zoologist Desmond Morris, actually from strict England, was even ahead of the West German student revolt in 1967 when he published his book The Naked Ape. Because Morris was unabashed and compared, without being squeamish, the sexual behavior of humans with that of other animals - especially that of monkeys and great apes. "

criticism

The savannah hypothesis of human evolution that Morris represents is now considered outdated. The water monkey theory , propagated as a criticism of Morris' work by Elaine Morgan , is also considered outdated in specialist circles. The current status of the evolutionary formation of the feature structure that is characteristic of anatomically modern humans (Homo sapiens) is shown under hominization .

expenditure

  • Desmond Morris: The Naked Monkey . Droemer Knaur Verlag, Munich, Zurich 1968. - 26th edition, 1995, ISBN 3-426-03224-4 .

See also

literature

  • Joachim Klose, Jochen Oehler (eds.) The naked ape in a new light - evolution and sexuality , ISBN 978-3-540-77936-0

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ The naked Ape steps out. Announcement from the BBC regarding the initial publication of the book.
  2. ↑ Volker Sommer: God or Darwin? Talking sensibly about creation and evolution. In: The naked monkey in a new light - Evolution and Sexuality , ISBN 978-3-540-77936-0