Some aspects of anthropomorphism in the terminology and philosophy underlying Western and Japanese studies of the social behaviour of non-human primates

<p>This study investigates how anthropomorphism arises in Western and Japanese reports of non-human primate behaviour. Chapter 1 introduces the study and notes that differences in recording styles and incidence of anthropomorphism in Western and Japanese reports led to the thesis that the bas...

Mô tả đầy đủ

Chi tiết về thư mục
Tác giả chính: Asquith, P
Định dạng: Luận văn
Ngôn ngữ:English
Được phát hành: 1981
Những chủ đề:
_version_ 1826297499873181696
author Asquith, P
author_facet Asquith, P
author_sort Asquith, P
collection OXFORD
description <p>This study investigates how anthropomorphism arises in Western and Japanese reports of non-human primate behaviour. Chapter 1 introduces the study and notes that differences in recording styles and incidence of anthropomorphism in Western and Japanese reports led to the thesis that the basis for anthropomorphism differed between the two groups. In Western studies it was found necessary to inquire into philosophical aspects of language use. In Japanese studies the inquiry centred on evidence for the retention of traditional attitudes to nature.</p> <p>Part One focuses on the basis for anthropomorphism in Western studies. Chapter 2 discusses the intellectual basis for the deeply ingrained belief in the West in the separateness of man and animals. The more immediate intellectual background to Western primate studies is traced in chapter 3 through the development of comparative psychology and ethology and then of primatology itself. A more precise formulation of the Western inquiry is developed in chapter h through discussion of ordinary language, distinction between categories of anthropomorphism and between the notions of a subjective approach to study and the ascription of human subjective experiences to animals. Cognitive ethology is briefly described. Chapter 5&gt; identifies the characteristic of language use that gives rise to anthropomorphism as metaphor.</p> <p>Part Two focuses on Japanese studies. Japan had no tradition of objective science and Western science was imported to Japan. This section develops the argument that Western science was adapted to existing Japanese thought and that a traditional intuitive approach to nature and feeling of unity with animals was retained.</p> <p>The development of Japanese primate studies and evidence for the acceptability of anthropomorphism to Japanese primatologists are presented in chapter 6. Certain basic ideas of traditional Japanese views are outlined in chapter 7. The effects of the first small-scale importation of Western science on the Neo-Confucian precepts of Tokugawa Japan are traced in chapter 8. The way in which especially biology was understood in the subsequent major importation of science to Meiji Japan is examined in chapter 9. The methodology of the Japanese primatologists is examined in chapter 10 and newly translated material showing the application of traditional Japanese thought to primatology is presented. Other new material on the origins of the focus on personality and culture in monkey groups is given. The application of traditional Japanese ideas of nature to their methodology and the use of a socioanthropological framework for explanation of observed behaviour is seen to be compatible with anthropomorphism in the Japanese studies.</p> <p>Chapter 11 summarizes the course of the study and discusses what conclusions may be drawn.</p>
first_indexed 2024-03-07T04:32:35Z
format Thesis
id oxford-uuid:ced23a88-1ca0-47a9-a3be-a72dbaea1788
institution University of Oxford
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-07T04:32:35Z
publishDate 1981
record_format dspace
spelling oxford-uuid:ced23a88-1ca0-47a9-a3be-a72dbaea17882022-03-27T07:38:16ZSome aspects of anthropomorphism in the terminology and philosophy underlying Western and Japanese studies of the social behaviour of non-human primatesThesishttp://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_db06uuid:ced23a88-1ca0-47a9-a3be-a72dbaea1788AnthropomorphismBehaviorPrimatesSocial behavior in animalsTerminologyEnglishPolonsky Theses Digitisation Project1981Asquith, P<p>This study investigates how anthropomorphism arises in Western and Japanese reports of non-human primate behaviour. Chapter 1 introduces the study and notes that differences in recording styles and incidence of anthropomorphism in Western and Japanese reports led to the thesis that the basis for anthropomorphism differed between the two groups. In Western studies it was found necessary to inquire into philosophical aspects of language use. In Japanese studies the inquiry centred on evidence for the retention of traditional attitudes to nature.</p> <p>Part One focuses on the basis for anthropomorphism in Western studies. Chapter 2 discusses the intellectual basis for the deeply ingrained belief in the West in the separateness of man and animals. The more immediate intellectual background to Western primate studies is traced in chapter 3 through the development of comparative psychology and ethology and then of primatology itself. A more precise formulation of the Western inquiry is developed in chapter h through discussion of ordinary language, distinction between categories of anthropomorphism and between the notions of a subjective approach to study and the ascription of human subjective experiences to animals. Cognitive ethology is briefly described. Chapter 5&gt; identifies the characteristic of language use that gives rise to anthropomorphism as metaphor.</p> <p>Part Two focuses on Japanese studies. Japan had no tradition of objective science and Western science was imported to Japan. This section develops the argument that Western science was adapted to existing Japanese thought and that a traditional intuitive approach to nature and feeling of unity with animals was retained.</p> <p>The development of Japanese primate studies and evidence for the acceptability of anthropomorphism to Japanese primatologists are presented in chapter 6. Certain basic ideas of traditional Japanese views are outlined in chapter 7. The effects of the first small-scale importation of Western science on the Neo-Confucian precepts of Tokugawa Japan are traced in chapter 8. The way in which especially biology was understood in the subsequent major importation of science to Meiji Japan is examined in chapter 9. The methodology of the Japanese primatologists is examined in chapter 10 and newly translated material showing the application of traditional Japanese thought to primatology is presented. Other new material on the origins of the focus on personality and culture in monkey groups is given. The application of traditional Japanese ideas of nature to their methodology and the use of a socioanthropological framework for explanation of observed behaviour is seen to be compatible with anthropomorphism in the Japanese studies.</p> <p>Chapter 11 summarizes the course of the study and discusses what conclusions may be drawn.</p>
spellingShingle Anthropomorphism
Behavior
Primates
Social behavior in animals
Terminology
Asquith, P
Some aspects of anthropomorphism in the terminology and philosophy underlying Western and Japanese studies of the social behaviour of non-human primates
title Some aspects of anthropomorphism in the terminology and philosophy underlying Western and Japanese studies of the social behaviour of non-human primates
title_full Some aspects of anthropomorphism in the terminology and philosophy underlying Western and Japanese studies of the social behaviour of non-human primates
title_fullStr Some aspects of anthropomorphism in the terminology and philosophy underlying Western and Japanese studies of the social behaviour of non-human primates
title_full_unstemmed Some aspects of anthropomorphism in the terminology and philosophy underlying Western and Japanese studies of the social behaviour of non-human primates
title_short Some aspects of anthropomorphism in the terminology and philosophy underlying Western and Japanese studies of the social behaviour of non-human primates
title_sort some aspects of anthropomorphism in the terminology and philosophy underlying western and japanese studies of the social behaviour of non human primates
topic Anthropomorphism
Behavior
Primates
Social behavior in animals
Terminology
work_keys_str_mv AT asquithp someaspectsofanthropomorphismintheterminologyandphilosophyunderlyingwesternandjapanesestudiesofthesocialbehaviourofnonhumanprimates