The Monkey Question: an Appeal to Common Sense
This work presents a philosophical argument against the concept of free will and moral responsibility. It posits that human behavior can be entirely explained by physical causes, eliminating the need for supernatural intervention or personal agency. The author uses satire to critique traditional notions of morality and ethics, suggesting that they are based on arbitrary social conventions rather than objective principles.
By Hilaire Belloc · First published 1927 · Genre: Satire, Political Commentary, Social Critique · 3,435 words
First lines
A privileged body slips so easily into regarding its privileges as common rights that I fear the plea which the SIMIAN LEAGUE repeats in this pamphlet will still sound strange in the ears of many, though the work of the League has been increasingly successful and has reached yearly a wider circle of the educated public since its foundation by Lady Wayne in 1902. We desire to place before our fellow-citizens the claims of Monkeys, and we hope once more that nothing we say may seem extreme or violent, for we know full well what poor weapons violence and passion are in the debate of a practical political matter.
What this Textopian page supports
The Monkey Question: an Appeal to Common Sense is listed on Textopian as an essay by Hilaire Belloc, dated 1927 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Essay
- Author: Hilaire Belloc
- Date: 1927 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Satire, Political Commentary, Social Critique, Fiction, Humor
- Length: 3,435 words
- Structure: 1 section, 27 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Fairly Difficult (10th-12th Grade)
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- Work identity for The Monkey Question: an Appeal to Common Sense by Hilaire Belloc
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Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering The Monkey Question: an Appeal to Common Sense?
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Similar titles
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Genres
- Satire — The text uses humor and irony to critique societal norms and prejudices, particularly through the absurdity of advocating for monkey rights.
- Political Commentary — The work addresses political themes, using the fictional Simian League to comment on social justice and civil rights issues.
- Social Critique — The narrative critiques societal attitudes and the treatment of marginalized groups, using monkeys as a metaphor.
- Fiction — The text presents a fictional scenario involving the rights of monkeys, creating a narrative that is not based on real events.
Tags
Philosophy · Ethics · Morality · Reasoning · Logic · Argumentation · Rhetoric · Critical Thinking · Common Sense · Pragmatism · Skepticism · Doubt