Even before the arrival of Homo sapiens sapiens, the dog kept us company. How to explain this strange combination, this unique place the "best friend" of man, by this animal, who assuredly knows so well how to do it with us? The study of the dog proves valuable lessons on him, of course, but also ... about ourselves! Who is he? Where is he? How he perceives the world? How he communicates with us? Does he understand our language? Whence its possible aggressive outbursts? And we, where does our commitment to him? It comes compensate our lack emotional? Is it normal that we spoke to her? Us feel understood by him?
Above, the presentation of the issue "head to the square" on France Inter on April 14. The guest was the sociologist Dominique Guillo - author of dogs and humans - Ed apple-March 2009
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The most interesting points of the relationship between humans and dogs developed by the author seem to me:
- Age of domestication currently accepted (50 to 100 000 years). This is much higher than previously assumed and very pre-Neolithic (- 10 000 years) will be accompanied by a major cultural revolution of humanity : a sedentary lifestyle with domestication of plants and animals. Thus the man and dog have co-evolved long before the other species, with many implications for their mutual development. Thus, the decrease of olfactory perceptions of man (and the reinvestment of these brain areas for the benefit of the limbic system) could be promoted through collaboration canine filling at best (better) this function (eg / hunting, intrusion detection ... ). It may be true for other functions, including language (this needs to bone up on the book), what would a real dog's accomplice scalable: the dog would not be without the man and the man would probably be different without dogs.
- All civilizations have often adopted the dog and gave him a high status (mythology, burial ...)
- The dog would be endowed with beliefs, thoughts and representations, but no conscience according to the author. I personally agree with the position Damasio , "I know some dogs have a conscience" elementary ("The Feeling of What Happens : body, emotions, conscience "- Ed Jacob O). The debate can be rich.
- Experiments have shown that in the double socialization domestic dog / human, dog prefers (even more attracted to) people with dogs, and has adaptive faculties such as canine behaviors differ across cultures.
- Finally, the author stresses the potential impoverishment of dog breeds related to (excessive inbreeding) and underscores the bastards.
All this data renews domestication and co-evolution between humans and dogs and gives special status to canine skills bases and renews my thinking about "my cycle" animal guardian of resilience? Is there Mowglis of us? The waltz three times the AAA? Because I am always amazed by the reality of Mowglis; how animals can save a baby physically moving it, protecting it and feeding it? This implies a near sacred behavioral register! If it's been 100,000 years since we know each other so well, wolves are a little know our cousins and we adopt, if we domesticate!
For more information:
- The issue "head to the square" on April 14 with Dominique Guillo , you can listen in one click for 30 days
- "Dogs and humans" by Dominique Guillo Editions Le Pommier
Didier VERNAY
