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Assisting others at birth not unique to humans, trumpets newspaper. Bonobos do it too.

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From Mollie Cahillane at the Daily Mail:

Chimps have midwives too: Incredible footage shows female bonobos protecting mothers during labor and assisting in the delivery

– Scientists saw three captive bonobos give birth in France and the Netherlands

– The mother did not isolate herself from the group and other females helped her

– Bonobos are humans’ closest living relative and the behavior shows that assistance during birth is not unique to people, as previously thought More.

Photos here.

The Daily Mail is right. The behavior is not unique to humans. Elephants do it too.

So, doubtless, do some other mammal species. As we have noted earlier, there is no tree of intelligence and suddenly discovering a behavior trait among chimpanzees that is supposedly “unique to people” is a good way of getting on the wrong track in understanding it.

What is really unique to people, human consciousness, is something people do not want to discuss, except to argue about whether it is illusion or a material thing or just go ahead and make up the theory of the month.

See also: Pigeons much smarter than monkeys in some tests We have now reached the point where animals have “real, independent minds” but human consciousness is thought to be an illusion.

Hat tip: Hat tip: Ken Francis

Comments
News,
What is really unique to people, human consciousness, is something people do not want to discuss,...
What's to discuss? Only humans have human consciousness. The bigger question is whether consciousness, in any form, is unique to humans.Allan Keith
May 23, 2018
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