Kanzi: The Ape at the Brink of the Human Mind - Softcover

Savage-Rumbaugh, Sue

Softcover

ISBN 10: 047115959X ISBN 13: 9780471159599

Publisher: Trade Paper Press, 1996

Synopsis

The remarkable story of a ""talking"" chimp, a leading scientist, and the profound insights they have uncovered about our species

He has been featured in cover stories in Time, Newsweek, and National Geographic, and has been the subject of a ""NOVA"" documentary. He is directly responsible for discoveries that have forced the scientific community to recast its thinking about the nature of the mind and the origins of language. He is Kanzi, an extraordinary bonobo chimpanzee who has overturned the idea that symbolic language is unique to our species. This is the moving story of how Kanzi learned to converse with humans and the profound lessons he has taught us about our animal cousins, and ourselves.

"". . . The underlying thesis is informative and well argued . . . Savage-Rumbaugh's results are impressive."" — The Washington Post

""This popular, absorbing, and controversial account is recommended."" — Library Journal

About this title

About the Author:

SUE SAVAGE-RUMBAUGH, Ph.D., is one of the world's leading ape-language researchers. She is an Associate Professor of Biology at Georgia State University and Associate Research Professor at Yerkes Regional Primate Research Center at Emory University.

ROGER LEWIN is an award-winning writer and author of twelve books, including the bestselling Origins, which he coauthored with Richard Leakey.

From Kirkus Reviews:

Ape-language specialist Savage-Rumbaugh and science writer Lewin (co-author of Origins with Richard Leakey, 1977) run the superchimp Kanzi past us once again with this latest in the current deluge of books on animal brain power. Kanzi--already a phenom with Newsweek, Time, and National Geographic covers to his credit--is an ape with a mind of his own; his facility with communication (via a special keyboard) is a marvel. But Kanzi gets only limited airtime here; he's more like a sideshow barker's prop to entice the customers. The authors spend most of the book going over the history of ape-language research (and it does go back: Samuel Pepys's name is mentioned), briefly rummage in linguistic theory (long enough to unconvincingly trash Noam Chomsky), and visit with other ape subjects. When it comes to the use of language by the great apes, the jury is still out; they might have even gone home. Theorists continue to debate the importance of production versus comprehension, to dispute intentionality, to worry about an ape's reflectiveness. It is to Savage-Rumbaugh's credit that she gives as much importance to glances, gestures, and postures as communicative modes as she does to utterances and keyboard talent. It seems quite clear that the apes have no interest in joining the Yale debating squad, so why put them to that measure? When Kanzi is brought into the story, the tone lightens. He is a clever, humorous, astonishing character, and his developing relationship with Savage-Rumbaugh is where Lewin really shines. The quickly sketched vignettes are uniformly winning: For instance, Savage-Rumbaugh has her keys snatched by an obstreperous member of the ape troupe. She asks Kanzi to get them back. He shuffles over to the offending ape, murmurs in his ear, and the keys are returned forthwith. Call this effort ``Notes Toward an Understanding,'' for every theory is conjecture, but there are also many fine nuggets to be mined. (Photos, not seen) (First serial to Discover) -- Copyright ©1994, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved.

About this edition

• Publisher: Trade Paper Press
• Publication date: 1996
• ISBN 10: 047115959X
• ISBN 13: 9780471159599
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 336