Impact On Bioethics
Some believe that the fact that Washoe not only communicated, but also formed close and personal relationships with humans indicates that she is emotionally sensitive and is deserving of moral status.
Work with Washoe and other signing primates motivated the foundation of the Great Ape Project, which hopes to "include the non-human great apes within the community of equals by granting them the basic moral and legal protections that only humans currently enjoy", in order to place them in the moral category of "persons" rather than private property.
Read more about this topic: Washoe (chimpanzee)
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