The Naked Ape

Title: The Naked Ape – A Zoologist’s Study of the Human Animal

Author: Desmond Morris

Publisher: Vintage, 2017 (First published 1967)

ISBN: 9780099482017

Pages: 247

Stephen Hawking’s ‘A Brief History of Time’ revolutionized the genre of popular science in a big way. Even though many people did not understand what was discussed in it, Time became a best seller as Hawking turned out to be a living icon of human intelligence at its best. An invalid on account of the rare motor neuron disease with which he was afflicted, the eminent scientist communicated through artificial means but carried out advanced research programs through sheer intellect and a good measure of steely will. But popular science goes much back in time, to 1967, as claimed in the foreword to this book. ‘The Naked Ape’ was the harbinger of an era in which lofty scientific principles were ladled out to the general populace who was already wonderstruck at the breathtaking progress and innovation science was parading in front of the world. Desmond Morris is a zoologist and worked as the curator of the London Zoo. He wrote extensively on human sociobiology and is the author of many books. This is his first and most successful work, which was translated into 28 languages and brought out in 12 million copies. Morris does not keep readers in suspense for long on what he means by the term ‘naked ape’. The very first sentence of the book runs as “There are 193 living species of monkeys and apes. 192 of them are covered with hair. The exception is a naked ape self-named Homo sapiens”. Perhaps this is the only instance in the entire book in which our own species is clearly spelt out by name. On all other occasions, we have to put up with being called ‘the naked ape’, in a somewhat derogatory style.

The genetic-cultural differences that made man distinct from other species of apes are explained by the author. We were once confined to an arboreal habitat of forests. The shrinkage of forest cover through climate change forced this ape to compete with ground-dwellers and adapt to the grasslands. This forced the ape to assume a more upright posture to become fast and better runners. Its hands were freed from locomotion duties and became efficient weapon holders. Brains became more complex which rendered them brighter and quicker decision makers. These changes blossomed together over evolutionary timescales. A hunting ape or a killer ape was thus formed. All other apes are vegetarians who might occasionally munch on insects or beetles. But the naked ape turned carnivorous with longer spaced out meals. From tool-using to tool-making animals, he perfected hunting techniques and social cooperation. It is curious to learn that social organization developed with improvement in killing techniques.

Then comes the interesting issue of how we happened to be naked, or how the fur coat was eventually discarded. The hunting ape is said to have become an infantile ape by a process called neoteny. This is an interesting phenomenon by which animals retain certain juvenile or infantile characteristics into adult life. Chimpanzees complete brain growth within twelve months of birth. Humans typically have only a quarter of the adult brain size at birth, and its growth is completed only around 23 years of age, long after the individual has attained sexual maturity. Infantile apes are generally having less hair than adults in their species and we fixed upon this trait throughout the entire life. Playfulness marks adult humans separate from other animals. Inquisitiveness and curiosity are the two other qualities neoteny has bestowed on us. This was essential to such creatures that do not possess a fixed, permanent habitat or diet, that helped him to learn, adjust and adapt quickly to novel challenges.

Being a sociobiologist, Morris delves into the development of the traditional role of women as homemakers, without going outside the dwelling place for hunting, or its modern equivalent – working. Because of the extremely long period of dependency of the young and the heavy demands on personal attention made by them, the females found themselves perpetually engaged in childrearing and as a consequence, confined to the home base of the community. This peculiar behaviour also led to monogamy. Males had to leave their mates at home while they went on hunting expeditions. These women were thus vulnerable to advances by other males in the group. This was a recipe for friction among the males, whose complete cooperation was mandated by the laborious hunting process. This situation demanded a major shift in social behaviour. Development of pair-bonding and proto-family was a direct consequence of this and ensured a mate to every member of the group.

This book presents a fascinating hypothesis on the origin of the concept of god in primitive human societies, which I cannot help reproducing here. Before evolving into cooperative hunters, humans lived in social groups as seen in other species of apes and monkeys. Each group was dominated by a single, male leader who was active in protecting the group from outside hazards and settling internal squabbles. His stature was all-powerful and hence functionally similar to an omnipotent god. When that community turned to group hunting, the leader lost his god-like status. The cooperative spirit required for a successful communal hunt limited the authority of dominant individuals only to ensure loyalty from other members. In effect, shedding the exclusivity, he became ‘one of them’, as a more tolerant, cooperative leader. This change in order of things left a gap in the social mind and the vacancy was filled by the invention of god as protector of all the members of the group.

This book was written at the height of the Cold War, in the midst of the devastating Vietnam War. A nuclear holocaust was more than possible – in fact, it was really probable. Concern at the uncertainty of a bright future is visible in the author’s prognostication about what awaits the human race. He claims that there was a strong chance of extermination by the end of the century, by the year 2000. However, he claims that we have a consolation that we had an exciting term of office. Morris’ arguments are extensive and his reasoning extends its roots into the twin treasure-troves of evolutionary biology and sociology. This makes the book a pleasure to read, which triumphantly defends its position as one among the best titles in popular science books even at the lapse of half a century after its first publication.

The book is highly recommended.

Rating: 4 Star