The biblical narrative of Isaac’s sacrifice is unsettling from any point of view. God commands Abraham to kill his own son, Isaac. Without questioning, Abraham obeys. He rises early, prepares the fire, carries the wood, and leads his son to the designated place. Only at the very last moment, as Abraham’s hand is raised with […]
anthropology
All gender is male: An ethological perspective
When we observe humanity from a perspective of animal behaviour (ethology), we find something unusual: human females do not look or act like females in most other species. Instead, they exhibit behaviours and characteristics that, in the rest of the animal kingdom, are associated with males competing for mates. This might seem counterintuitive at first, […]
The ‘real’ father
Daughter: “What if you’re not my real dad? Like, what if someone else is my actual dad?” Dad: “Why do you say that? What made you think of this?” Daughter: “I don’t know… I just think I’d feel sad if you weren’t my real dad. I’d begin to like the other guy, even if I […]
From Mother Goddess to Virgin Mother: The Evolution of Motherhood in Myth
Motherhood has always been central to human culture and mythology, but its meaning and significance have transformed profoundly over time. From ancient fertility goddesses who embodied the raw power of life and creation to the subdued maternal figures of patriarchal religions, myths about mothers reveal not only societal values but also deep conflicts between genders […]
Culture and the Myth of Learning
A young chimpanzee, clinging to its mother, will stretch out its hand or make vocal requests for a bite of what the mother is eating. Sometimes, the mother obliges and offers the infant some food; other times, she remains focused on her own meal, leaving the infant to fend for itself. The infant must be […]
Human Domestication: Dispersal
We often hear about the similarities between humans and our closest primate relatives—chimpanzees and bonobos—especially when it comes to social behaviours, like the mother–child bond. These comparisons are used to draw beautiful parallels that make us feel more connected to the animal kingdom, but this often requires ignoring the differences. In this article, I talk […]