Le complexe des trois singes. Sur un certain journalisme primatologique
When comparing the scientific work of primatologists with its interpretation in texts addressed to wider audiences, one realizes that “primatological journalism” can be excessive. While it is thoroughly legitimate and necessary to naturalize humans in the light of the increasing number of similariti...
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
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Société Francophone de Primatologie
2012-12-01
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Series: | Revue de Primatologie |
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Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/primatologie/1138 |
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author | Etienne Bimbenet |
author_facet | Etienne Bimbenet |
author_sort | Etienne Bimbenet |
collection | DOAJ |
description | When comparing the scientific work of primatologists with its interpretation in texts addressed to wider audiences, one realizes that “primatological journalism” can be excessive. While it is thoroughly legitimate and necessary to naturalize humans in the light of the increasing number of similarities discovered every day by primatology between human and non-human primate behaviors, it is far less relevant to radicalize this naturalism and turn it into a reductive understanding overlooking anything specific to human behaviors. The latter attitude is what I call the “three monkeys’ complex.”This project will analyse a series of “scoops” supposed to teach us that “language,” “self-consciousness,” or “tools” are no longer exclusively human. It will expose the logic of this discourse, pointing out the various excesses underlying its surface. Ultimately, the aim of this study will be to give, as a possible answer, a non-metaphysical, acceptable version of human specificity within what John MacDowell calls “second nature naturalism.” |
format | Article |
id | doaj-art-48028cdb6589434d9996dc326605f702 |
institution | Kabale University |
issn | 2077-3757 |
language | English |
publishDate | 2012-12-01 |
publisher | Société Francophone de Primatologie |
record_format | Article |
series | Revue de Primatologie |
spelling | doaj-art-48028cdb6589434d9996dc326605f7022025-01-30T10:01:49ZengSociété Francophone de PrimatologieRevue de Primatologie2077-37572012-12-01410.4000/primatologie.1138Le complexe des trois singes. Sur un certain journalisme primatologiqueEtienne BimbenetWhen comparing the scientific work of primatologists with its interpretation in texts addressed to wider audiences, one realizes that “primatological journalism” can be excessive. While it is thoroughly legitimate and necessary to naturalize humans in the light of the increasing number of similarities discovered every day by primatology between human and non-human primate behaviors, it is far less relevant to radicalize this naturalism and turn it into a reductive understanding overlooking anything specific to human behaviors. The latter attitude is what I call the “three monkeys’ complex.”This project will analyse a series of “scoops” supposed to teach us that “language,” “self-consciousness,” or “tools” are no longer exclusively human. It will expose the logic of this discourse, pointing out the various excesses underlying its surface. Ultimately, the aim of this study will be to give, as a possible answer, a non-metaphysical, acceptable version of human specificity within what John MacDowell calls “second nature naturalism.”https://journals.openedition.org/primatologie/1138popular sciencehominisationanthropological differencereductionnismlanguagejoint attention. politics |
spellingShingle | Etienne Bimbenet Le complexe des trois singes. Sur un certain journalisme primatologique Revue de Primatologie popular science hominisation anthropological difference reductionnism language joint attention. politics |
title | Le complexe des trois singes. Sur un certain journalisme primatologique |
title_full | Le complexe des trois singes. Sur un certain journalisme primatologique |
title_fullStr | Le complexe des trois singes. Sur un certain journalisme primatologique |
title_full_unstemmed | Le complexe des trois singes. Sur un certain journalisme primatologique |
title_short | Le complexe des trois singes. Sur un certain journalisme primatologique |
title_sort | le complexe des trois singes sur un certain journalisme primatologique |
topic | popular science hominisation anthropological difference reductionnism language joint attention. politics |
url | https://journals.openedition.org/primatologie/1138 |
work_keys_str_mv | AT etiennebimbenet lecomplexedestroissingessuruncertainjournalismeprimatologique |