A Monkey Troop in the snowy North of Japan

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Copyright © 1997, Jay Ligda.  All rights reserved.  Published by Humans in the Universe and Jay Ligda.

A Monkey Troop in the snowy North of Japan

The following story illustrates that learning occurs by imitating elders and/or peers:
A well-documented case of how skill can be started and then spread is that of a monkey troop in the snowy north of Japan.  Tourists would throw slices of raw potato on the sandy ground for the monkeys, who had to brush the dirt off the potato before eating it.  One female--a monkey "genius"-- discovered that by scooping up a handful of potato and sand and dunking it into the near-by sea, she could wash the sand away.  Before long this potato washing had spread to the young monkeys in the troop who had noticed what she was doing, the older monkeys did not pay attention and never learned the trick.  (McCrone, 1991, p. 42)

Learning from elders and peers, combined with the problem associated with self-awareness set the stage for a mind-body split

by Jay Ligda

(This work is a all or part of an original work first published/written for John. F. Kennedy University:  Final Integrative Project., Mar1996.)


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References

  • McCrone, J. (1991).  The Ape that Spoke:  Language and the Evolution of the Human Mind.  New York, NY:  William Morrow.
  • Pearson, D. & Shaw, S. (1982).  Life Extension:  A Practical Scientific Approach.  New York, NY:  Warner.

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