BOOK REVIEW: Georges Chapouthier, ‟Kant et le chimpanzé. Essai sur l’être humain, la morale et l’art”, Paris: Belin, 2009

Abstract

This book, written by a neurobiologist who is also a philosopher, has too many ontological and epistemological significances for not being emphasised in, at least, a review. First of all, it is about the problem of continuity and discontinuity between man and animals. If, for example, Malebranche has revealed that there are common inclinations of these two species (of love, of the good in general, of curiosity, of being and well-being) as well as some special qualities of man (of knowing, of seeming, of being recognised, of imagined social relations) , a contemporary scientist has to explain the basis of these both common and different appearances. And a contemporary philosopher has to interpret the latest scientific information and theories in order to arrive to integrative principles and comprehension.