The Nature of Paleolithic Art: part 2

In part two of ‘The Nature of Paleolithic Art’ Guthrie discusses several interesting topics. His discussion on the Human Scale of Density: Nepotism and Reciprocity particularly interested me as it revealed how much of our present social behavior is deeply rooted in our past or is derived from our past.

When animals live or move in packs they remember or keep tally of favors done for them. In other words, help is received only when it is also given out. Guthrie gives several examples of such reciprocity and sociality viewed widely amongst chimpanzees, elephants, wolves, hyenas etc (animals which prefer to live in small gatherings). By helping other family members to whom one is genetically related increases one’s own genetic fitness. As Guthrie puts it, “sharing creates obligations that can be, and usually are, called on later” (pg 414). Amongst chimpanzees, a very common way to repay a debt or a favor is by grooming or by allowing sexual access, which increases reproductive fitness. Another form of altruistic behavior observed amongst chimpanzees that we discussed in my Biological Anthropology class is giving out alarm calls when a predator is close by. Although this puts at risk the life of the particular chimp giving out the alarm call, it allows the rest of its clan to escape. Included amongst this clan may be its own offspring, which are then taken care of by the other female chimpanzees in the group if the chimp performing such an altruistic act is attacked.

Such behavior is also observed amongst human beings, especially between family members much like that displayed by the chimpanzees. Guthrie says, “As uncomfortable as it was for many people in the late 1970s to confront the idea of sociobiology, it is clear that aspects of social behavior are shaped by evolutionary patterns” (pg 414). I agree with his point because this idea, that human behavioral pattern may resemble to that of certain animals, can be disturbing to some because according to Genesis mankind was created as superior to all other beings.Is it or is it not derogatory that there are similarities between human and animal behavior can be a debatable topic.Nonetheless, it does not make it false that animals to a certain extent behave much as humans do.