Has
Anyone Ever Just Asked?
The question of chimpanzee religion
is one that, if answered, has ramifications across many different fields of
study. Jane Goodall, in her 2005 encyclopedia
entry, Primate Spirituality, thinks
that their behavior in certain situations indicates that they do have some sort
of primitive religious inclinations.
James B. Harrod agrees; after first creating a definition of religion
that can be transferred across the species, Harrod examines reported chimpanzee
practices, both in captivity and in the wild, and finds that they do indeed
correspond to his trans-species definition (Harrod). It is now up to researchers from a wide range
of disciplines to investigate.
The possible avenues of research are
endless, since almost no research has been done before. A possible method that may yield results is
to attempt direct communication with members of the chimpanzee species. It is fairly common knowledge that Washoe the
chimpanzee, raised in captivity, was able to learn about three hundred fifty
different signs. If chimpanzees can be
raised like she was then maybe could be able to communicate in an effective way
like Washoe, perhaps even be able to convey abstract ideas.
They may exhibit some of the same
religious behaviors that Harrod describes in his article, The Case for Chimpanzee Religion.
In the conclusion of that same article, Harrod says that those behaviors
are “biological ritualizations of instincts”, (Harrod) which implies that since
every chimpanzee has the same basic instincts, therefore they must have, to
some degree, a similar set of inclinations towards religion. They may all feel the need to announce
something strange and threatening, or to fall silent in a sort of awestruck way
when experiencing the emotion of wonder (Harrod).
Perhaps I have made my argument too
simple, I do not intend to express the relative ease with which such
communication may take place. Most
likely, it is next to impossible.
Teaching another species how to communicate with humans about something
that we see through such an anthropocentric lens will be extremely
challenging. Harrod’s definition of
religion, and perhaps others that may follow, must be at the center of these
discussions. Chimpanzees would also have
to be taught words and concepts in such a way as to interfere as minimally as
possible with their subsequent communication.
A trans-species definition is the only option that could currently
work. We would have to begin by asking
them about their behaviors in abnormal situations. For example, if a fellow chimpanzee has died,
and the rest are let in to pay last respects like in the situation Harrod
describes at the New York University lab, researches should ask the animals
about their behavior (Harrod). For
example, in the NYU case dealing with death rites, “WHY DID YOU OPEN PABLO’S
EYES?” may prompt an informative response.
“WHY WERE YOU SILENT AFTER THE SCREAMING?” could be another question,
this time aimed at Harrod’s case in the Arnhem Zoo (Harrod). This avoids the issue of having to teach
chimpanzees the meaning of the word death,
and thus lets them come up with a less influenced answer than if humans were to
teach chimpanzees about death and then asked them what they thought about it.
Humanity has a long way to go to
understand the other animals that live on Earth with us, but maybe the journey
isn’t as long as it seems. Maybe we could just ask them.
Works Cited
Harrod, James B. "The Case for Chimpanzee Religion." Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature, and Culture 8.1 (2014): n. pag. EquinoxOnline. Web. 12 Sept. 2014.
Harrod, James B. "A Trans-Species Definition of Religion." Journal for the Study of Religion, Nature and Culture 5.3 (2011): n. pag. Equinox Online. Web. 12 Sept. 2014.
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