The zeal to demote humans into apes, and thereby destroy human exceptionalism, continues. The National Geographic has an extended article in the April 08 issue—which I saw in the dentist’s office today—entitled “Almost Human.” It is about some chimps—all given cute names in the article—some of which sharpen sticks with which to kill small monkeys called bush babies for consumption. The piece is interesting, and typical of the genre, overflowing with anthropomorphism. But this quote is why I bring the article up. From the story:
The taboo on anthropomorphizing seems odd, given that the closeness—evolutionary, genetic, and behavioral—between chimpanzees and humans is the very reason we study chimps so obsessively.
The answer is that when observation and reporting slips into anthropomorphism, it ceases to be science and becomes ideology.
National Geographic has a venerable history. But every time I look at it now, I see ideological agendas across a wide spectrum of issues. It remains a very interesting magazine, with great photos and interesting articles. But too often these days it ain’t science reporting. It is politics. And the real shame is that so many people in the sciences and media either don’t understand the difference—or don’t care.
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