http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/ Mon, 26 Nov 2012 12:00:51 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.4.2 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3112 » Male chimps trade meat for sex Thu, 28 Oct 2010 14:59:37 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3112 [...] http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/ [...] [...] http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/ [...]

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3111 Tony Fri, 10 Apr 2009 20:30:08 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3111 Cara, why don't you read the literature and decide then? It's to a female's advantage to be protected. If you knew how often chimps have sex, you would have to rethink your e-p comment. Craig Stanford makes this observation on p 69 of The Hunting Apes: "Why should we think that cooperation is a more highly evolved art form than selfish manipulation?" Cara, why don’t you read the literature and decide then? It’s to a female’s advantage to be protected. If you knew how often chimps have sex, you would have to rethink your e-p comment. Craig Stanford makes this observation on p 69 of The Hunting Apes: “Why should we think that cooperation is a more highly evolved art form than selfish manipulation?”

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3110 Cara Fri, 10 Apr 2009 17:35:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3110 How about the notion that the females LIKE unselfish males? Or that chimp sex is one part of friendly (for lack of a better word) bonding instead of a commodity in itself to be bartered? Oh, of course not. That doesn't fit standard evo-psych backward rationalizations for <i>human</i> sex role garbage. My mistake. How about the notion that the females LIKE unselfish males? Or that chimp sex is one part of friendly (for lack of a better word) bonding instead of a commodity in itself to be bartered?
Oh, of course not. That doesn’t fit standard evo-psych backward rationalizations for human sex role garbage. My mistake.

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3109 MattK Thu, 09 Apr 2009 03:44:21 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3109 As a long term strategy rather than for short term favour with oestrous females? As a long term strategy rather than for short term favour with oestrous females?

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3108 Tony Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:49:46 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3108 Craig Stanford wrote about this 10 years ago, as did Sagan in Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors Craig Stanford wrote about this 10 years ago, as did Sagan in Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3107 Zach Miller Thu, 09 Apr 2009 00:08:56 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3107 Yeah, I like this paper. Goes to show that the "oldest profession in the world" really <i>is</i> the oldest profession in the world. :-) Yeah, I like this paper. Goes to show that the “oldest profession in the world” really is the oldest profession in the world.

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3106 Russell Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:54:55 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3106 That's only because they haven't yet figured out how much better liquor works. ;-) That’s only because they haven’t yet figured out how much better liquor works.

]]> http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3105 ArchAsa Wed, 08 Apr 2009 12:54:19 +0000 http://blogs.discovermagazine.com/notrocketscience/2009/04/08/male-chimps-trade-meat-for-sex/#comment-3105 Interesting study, and as an archaeologist I find it worthy of consideration. There is but one thing that keeps bugging me with the interpretations that many researchers (and the public) jump at when studies like this are published: It is almost immediately assumed that it has direct bearing in human development. But humans did not develop from chimpanzees - we both evolved form a common ancestor. How can we be sure that any particular trait discovered in chimpanzees belong to the traits that played an important part in the development if humanity? Could it not just as easily be the other way around - one way in which we are <i>different</i>, and it therefore explains something about why chimp society and human society are different? For instance, social interaction is of crucial importance among humans. Could it be that one thing that developed differently for us is that our ancestral females couldn't be swayed by the gift of a raw steak now and again, but demanded greater continuing care and assistance in things great and small from their males? This is a very difficult paradox in the study of primates. We are similar, we know, but how are we dissimilar!? Interesting study, and as an archaeologist I find it worthy of consideration. There is but one thing that keeps bugging me with the interpretations that many researchers (and the public) jump at when studies like this are published: It is almost immediately assumed that it has direct bearing in human development. But humans did not develop from chimpanzees – we both evolved form a common ancestor.
How can we be sure that any particular trait discovered in chimpanzees belong to the traits that played an important part in the development if humanity? Could it not just as easily be the other way around – one way in which we are different, and it therefore explains something about why chimp society and human society are different?
For instance, social interaction is of crucial importance among humans. Could it be that one thing that developed differently for us is that our ancestral females couldn’t be swayed by the gift of a raw steak now and again, but demanded greater continuing care and assistance in things great and small from their males?
This is a very difficult paradox in the study of primates. We are similar, we know, but how are we dissimilar!?

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