Anyone who reads The N EXT C ITY with enjoyment will be able to follow de Waal's train of thought and understand his fascinating examples, drawn from thousands of hours of personal observation of chimpanzees, rhesus monkeys and other primate species. Dozens of carefully chosen photographs drive home the book's argument and justify the slightly higher than usual price. All social mammals, according to de Waal, share four characteristics that lie at the root of morality. These characteristics, while enormously amplified in human beings because of our intelligence and cumulative culture, are also recognizable in other species. First is sympathy.
Social mammals recognize each other as individuals, appreciating each other's feelings.
They show pleasure upon reuniting after a period of separation. They try to help a sick or injured member of their community. They recognize death and may linger by departed ones. The book's most moving photograph shows an elephant who returns regularly to touch the skull of her deceased mother. This ability to recognize others and sympathize with their feelings is at the foundation of morality because it leads us to treat others with consideration.