In this episode of Naturally Scott, Scott Harris sits down with primatologist and author Dr. Christine Webb to explore the ideas behind her powerful new book, The Arrogant Ape. Christine’s work blends primatology, psychology, philosophy, Indigenous knowledge, and lived experience to challenge one of the most deeply ingrained beliefs in Western culture: that humans sit above the rest of nature.
Christine shares the roots of her fascination with animal minds, her academic path from Emory to Harvard to NYU, and the pivotal field encounters — including a surprising moment with a young baboon named Bear — that reshaped her understanding of what other species know, feel, and perceive.
Together, Scott and Christine dig into:
- Why Western science has long insisted on human superiority
- How captivity creates “bizarre” models of animal behavior
- What Indigenous worldviews understood long before modern research
- How animals communicate, think, and even empathize
- What shifting away from human exceptionalism might mean for our future
- Why moments of connection with wild animals matter more than we realize
Scott also shares his extraordinary encounter with a Northern Hawk Owl — a moment that brushed against the boundary of species and self — and Christine responds with insight into how animals may be perceiving us in ways we’re only beginning to understand.
This conversation is thought-provoking, personal, and full of wonder. If you’ve ever questioned where humans truly fit into the living world, this episode will stay with you.
Christine’s Book: The Arrogant Ape
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