Fifty years ago, a troop of Japanese macaques was observed washing sandy sweet potatoes in a stream, sending ripples through the fields of ethology, comparative psychology, and cultural anthropology. The issue of animal culture has been hotly debated ever since. Now Kevin Laland and Bennett Galef have gathered key voices in the often rancorous debate to summarize the views along the continuum from “Culture? Of course!” to “Culture? Of course not!” The result is essential reading for anyone interested in the validity of animal culture, and what it might say about our own.

author photos: Kevin N. Laland (top), and Bennett G. Galef (below)

Kevin N. Laland is Professor, School of Biology, St. Andrews University.

Bennett G. Galef is Emeritus Professor of Psychology, McMaster University, and past editor of Animal Behaviour.