Barbarous and Brutal Nature of Man To Be Revealed by Top Scientists in Public Debate
In May 2002 a male chimp named Frodo stole a human baby girl from her mother and battered her to death. In the UK men are 24 times more likely to kill or assault another person.
But why do male humans and chimps have a tendency for violence and cruelty?
A top Harvard scientist argues that our lust for war and bloodshed stems from our shared evolutionary past. However‚ not everyone agrees with this controversial school of thought.
On Monday 12 January the Dana Centre – London’s newest venue designed to tackle contemporary and controversial science head on – will bring two of the most outspoken scientists on the issue together to lead a public debate on the subject. The documentary Horizon: The Demonic Ape‚ will also be screened.
Date: Monday 12 January 2004
Time: 19.00 – 21.30 Free
Venue: The Dana Centre‚ 165 Queens Gate‚ London‚ SW7 5HE
Tube: Gloucester Road
Pre-booking line: 020 7942 4040 or tickets@danacentre.org.uk
Horizon: The Demonic Ape is showing on Thursday 8th Jan‚ 9pm‚ BBC2
Harvard scholar‚ Professor Richard Wrangham‚ will argue males are genetically programmed to be violent because they share this tendency with the ancestor of both humans and chimps. However‚ is it really likely they could have retained a tendency for violence? Professor Robert Sussman‚ a primatologist from Washington University‚ St Louis‚ will comment on the case against Wrangham‚ arguing that Wrangham’s data and theory are flawed. Producer and Director of Horizon: The Demonic Ape‚ Sanjida O’Connell‚ will also be on hand to answer any questions.
“The Demonic Male Hypothesis responds to some very dramatic observations‚” comments Professor Wrangham. “We only know of only two mammals in the world‚ in which males make deliberate attempts to go out and kill neighbouring groups. And these two mammals are chimpanzees and humans.”
“I think Wrangham’s Hypothesis is basically a speculative idea about how the relationship between chimpanzee and human behaviour might have evolved‚ and I think it’s actually wrong‚” comments Professor Sussman. “All animals have a propensity for aggression given different circumstances‚ and these need to be taken into account.”
Horizon: The Demonic Ape‚ Producer and Director‚ Sanjida O’Connell believes the reasons behind violent behaviour are far more complex. “We cannot purely look at genetics for behaviour – humans and chimps are both effected by other factors including social and living conditions. Many of the chimps we studied who were aggressive seem to be affected by their ever shrinking environment caused by events such as deforestation.”
Are chimps really as aggressive as claimed? Can they become more aggressive? Have humans affected their behaviour? The audience is invited to join in this compelling and revealing debate.
Limited Interviews available with:
Sanjida O’Connell and Richard Wrangham
Further information‚ interviews and images are available from Lauren Gildersleve:
Science Museum Press Office‚ 020 7942 4328; 07989 979864; l.gildersleve@nmsi.ac.uk
Notes to Editors
1 The Dana Centre is a collaboration between the BA (British Association for the Advancement of Science) and The European Dana Alliance for the Brain (EDAB) making it unrivalled in its expertise and depth of knowledge of scientific and technological fields. The Centre is housed in the Wellcome Wolfson Building alongside the headquarters of the BA‚ EDAB and Science Museum offices.
2 The £9.8 million building has been provided by four major benefactors – the Wellcome Trust‚ the Wolfson Foundation‚ The Dana Foundation and the Garfield Weston Foundation.
3 The Science Museum exists to promote the public understanding of the history and contemporary practice of science‚ medicine‚ technology and industry. It aims to inspire‚ educate and involve visitors. It achieves this by building‚ researching and caring for the national collections; and by interpreting these collections and engaging the public in the contemporary issues they raise.
4 The BA is the UK”s nationwide‚ open membership organisation dedicated to connecting science with people‚ so that science and its applications become accessible to all. The BA aims to promote openness about science in society and to engage and inspire people directly with science and technology and their implications.
5 The goal of EDAB is to inform the general public and decision makers about the importance of brain research. EDAB aims to advance knowledge about the personal and public benefits of neuroscience and to disseminate information on the brain‚ in health and disease‚ in an accessible and relevant way.
6 Nearest tube: Gloucester Road. There is no parking at the Dana Centre (except for disabled drivers). Residents” parking restrictions apply until 10:00pm.
