The Thin Veneer
- Martin Enlund
- 12/6/24
The Dutch primatologist Frans de Waal coined the term “veneer theory” in his book “Our Inner Ape” in 2005. The veneer theory posits that human moral behavior is merely a thin veneer over an inherently unpleasant nature. This viewpoint can be traced back to Thomas Henry Huxley, an anthropologist and biologist who was a contemporary of Darwin. However, de Waal criticized the idea because humanity is far more cooperative than predicted by simple anthropological or economic models. However, it is possible to question how thick this “civilizing veneer” really is.