What is a monkey?

The first lecture recalls the major chronological landmarks in the evolution of living organisms and introduces the concept of "chimpanzee culture". It compares the performance of non-human primates and humans at different stages of development, and endeavors to define what may be unique to each species. He points to the superiority of humans in tasks requiring theory of mind, even at an early age. He looks at human specificities, such as the importance of the social aspects of collective child-rearing, and gives an initial insight into some of the genetic differences between sapiens and chimpanzees.