CU Prof Provides Lesson in Animal Morality


May 28 2009, 10:48 AM

Do animals have morals? University of Colorado professor of ecologyÂ Marc BekoffÂ thinks so. And his new book, Wild Justice, in which he argues that morality is "hard wired" into the brains of all mammals, explaining their ability to get along with each other and hence their evolutionary survival, is making waves across the Atlantic. That's because until recently, we humans, gifted with our ability to shape the world around us, thought we were the only species to experience complex emotions and moral decision-making, as Britain'sÂ TelegraphÂ reports, noting Bekoff's conclusions have implications for animal-welfare groups who argue that animals deserve to be treated more humanely. Bekoff's theory has its naysayers, but Bekoff raises compelling points. Why, for example, do coyotes ostracize cubs that bite too hard? Why do elephants nurse their ill? Why do healthy chimps go easy with the monkey dominance on their handicapped brethren? Yet Boulder'sÂ Daily CameraÂ writes, "not everyone will find the argument persuasive."