Desmond Morris: Difference between revisions

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~~{{Construction Site}}~~

'''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''' ({{LifeData|birth=1928-01-24|birthplace=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purton Purton], Wiltshire|birthcountry=[[United Kingdom]]|death=2026-04-19|deathplace=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naas Naas], County Kildare|deathcountry=Ireland}})

The late Desmond John Morris, Ph.D., was a British zoologist and ethologist. He became famous by applying the methods of animal study to humans.

The late Desmond John Morris, Ph.D., D.Sc., was a British zoologist and ethologist. He became famous by applying the methods of animal study to humans.

Morris was a strong opponent of all forms of genital cutting and sexual mutilation, including [[child circumcision]].

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Morris commenced his studies at the [https://www.ox.ac.uk/ University of Oxford] in 1951. He was awarded a Ph.D. in 1954.

Morris served as curator of mammals for the [https://www.londonzoo.org/ London Zoo] from 1959 to 1967.

==Personal life==

Morris married Ramona Baulch in July 1952.<ref name="morris2012">{{REFnews

|title=My secret of 60 years of marital bliss

|url=https://www.dailymail.com/lifestyle/article-2191767/Desmond-Morris-diamond-wedding-testament-primeval-urge-mate-life.html

|last=Morris

|first=Desmond

|init=

|author-link=Desmond Morris

|publisher=The Daily Mail

|website=

|date=2012-08-22

|accessdate=2026-06-06

|format=

|quote=

}}</ref> They made their home in North Oxford. They had one son—Jason.

===Articles===

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===Commentary on male and female genital cutting and genital mutilation===

IntactiWiki is pleased to present this monograph by Desmond Morris regarding genital cutting and mutilation.

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For thousands of years, in many different cultures, the genitals have fallen victim to an amazing variety of mutilations and restrictions. For organs that are capable of giving us an immense amount of pleasure They have given us an inordinate amount of pain.

The commonest form of assault they have suffered is male and female circumcision. This strange mutilation is older than civilization and was probably well ~~advance~~ in the Stone Age. Although it is a piece of deliberate wounding of children by adults, it has been done with the best of intentions. Over the millennia it has cause countless deaths from infection, but its advantages have always been said to outweigh the risks involved. These alleged advantages have varied from epoch to epoch and culture to culture, but recent re-examination has shown that they are all imaginary.

The commonest form of assault they have suffered is male and female circumcision. This strange mutilation is older than civilization and was probably well advanced in the Stone Age. Although it is a piece of deliberate wounding of children by adults, it has been done with the best of intentions. Over the millennia it has cause countless deaths from infection, but its advantages have always been said to outweigh the risks involved. These alleged advantages have varied from epoch to epoch and culture to culture, but recent re-examination has shown that they are all imaginary.

It has been claimed that one of the oldest reasons for performing male circumcision—the removal of the foreskin—is that it provoked immortality in the shape of life after death. This odd notion was based on the observation that when the snake sheds its skin it emerges with glistening new scales and is “reborn.” If the snake can enjoy rebirth by the removal of skin, so too can the human being. For snake read penis; for snake-skin read foreskin.

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—Desmond Morris (Circa 1985)

</blockquote>

<hr>

==Videos==

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===Desmond Morris - Human beings - just another species of animal? (23/37)===

<youtube>v=taFeI6TwAOQ</youtube>

===Zoology and the Human Animal===

===Male genital mutilation ritual from Desmond Morris - The Human Sexes===

<youtube>v=QaFtcIrtbm0</youtube>

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* [[Alice Miller]]

* [[Cervical cancer]]

* [[Child circumcision]]

* [[Circumcision of the newborn]]

* [[Financial incentive]]

* [[Foreskin]]

* [[Penile cancer]]

* [[Risks and complications]]

* {{URLwebsite|http://www.desmond-morris.com/|2026-06-04}}

* {{URLwikipedia|Desmond_Morris|Desmond Morris}}

* {{REFweb

|url=http://www.desmond-morris.com/biography.php

|title=Biography of Desmond John Morris

|last=Williams

|first=David

|init=

|author-link=

|publisher=The Desmond Morris Information Page

|date=2022-09-20

|accessdate=2026-06-06

}}

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-{{Construction Site}}
 '''{{FULLPAGENAME}}''' ({{LifeData|birth=1928-01-24|birthplace=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Purton Purton], Wiltshire|birthcountry=[[United Kingdom]]|death=2026-04-19|deathplace=[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naas Naas], County Kildare|deathcountry=Ireland}})
-The late <b>Desmond John Morris</b>, Ph.D., was a British zoologist and ethologist. He became famous by applying the methods of animal study to humans.
+The late <b>Desmond John Morris</b>, Ph.D., D.Sc., was a British zoologist and ethologist. He became famous by applying the methods of animal study to humans.
 Morris was a strong opponent of all forms of genital cutting and sexual mutilation, including [[child circumcision]].
@@ Line 16: / Line 15: @@
 Morris commenced his studies at the [https://www.ox.ac.uk/ University of Oxford] in 1951. He was awarded a Ph.D. in 1954.
+Morris served as curator of mammals for the [https://www.londonzoo.org/ London Zoo] from 1959 to 1967.
+==Personal life==
+Morris married Ramona Baulch in July 1952.<ref name="morris2012">{{REFnews
+ |title=My secret of 60 years of marital bliss
+ |url=https://www.dailymail.com/lifestyle/article-2191767/Desmond-Morris-diamond-wedding-testament-primeval-urge-mate-life.html
+ |last=Morris
+ |first=Desmond
+ |init=
+ |author-link=Desmond Morris
+ |publisher=The Daily Mail
+ |website=
+ |date=2012-08-22
+ |accessdate=2026-06-06
+ |format=
+ |quote=
+}}</ref> They made their home in North Oxford. They had one son—Jason.
 {{PUB}}
 ===Articles===
@@ Line 105: / Line 121: @@
 ===Commentary on male and female genital cutting and genital mutilation===
 <br>
+IntactiWiki is pleased to present this monograph by Desmond Morris regarding genital cutting and mutilation.
 <br>
 <br>
@@ Line 117: / Line 134: @@
 For thousands of years, in many different cultures, the genitals have fallen victim to an amazing variety of mutilations and restrictions. For organs that are capable of giving us an immense amount of pleasure They have given us an inordinate amount of pain.
-The commonest form of assault they have suffered is male and female circumcision. This strange mutilation is older than civilization and was probably well advance in the Stone Age. Although it is a piece of deliberate wounding of children by adults, it has been done with the best of intentions. Over the millennia it has cause countless deaths from infection, but its advantages have always been said to outweigh the risks involved. These alleged advantages have varied from epoch to epoch and culture to culture, but recent re-examination has shown that they are all imaginary.
+The commonest form of assault they have suffered is male and female circumcision. This strange mutilation is older than civilization and was probably well advanced in the Stone Age. Although it is a piece of deliberate wounding of children by adults, it has been done with the best of intentions. Over the millennia it has cause countless deaths from infection, but its advantages have always been said to outweigh the risks involved. These alleged advantages have varied from epoch to epoch and culture to culture, but recent re-examination has shown that they are all imaginary.
 It has been claimed that one of the oldest reasons for performing male circumcision—the removal of the foreskin—is that it provoked immortality in the shape of life after death. This odd notion was based on the observation that when the snake sheds its skin it emerges with glistening new scales and is “reborn.” If the snake can enjoy rebirth by the removal of skin, so too can the human being. For snake read penis; for snake-skin read foreskin.
@@ Line 141: / Line 158: @@
 —Desmond Morris (Circa 1985)
 </blockquote>
+<br>
+<hr>
 ==Videos==
@@ Line 149: / Line 168: @@
 ===Desmond Morris - Human beings - just another species of animal? (23/37)===
 <youtube>v=taFeI6TwAOQ</youtube>
+===Zoology and the Human Animal===
+<youtube>v=myL24gP20fo</youtube>
 ===Male genital mutilation ritual from Desmond Morris - The Human Sexes===
 <youtube>v=QaFtcIrtbm0</youtube>
@@ Line 182: / Line 203: @@
 {{SEEALSO}}
 * [[Alice Miller]]
+* [[Cervical cancer]]
+* [[Child circumcision]]
+* [[Circumcision of the newborn]]
+* [[Financial incentive]]
+* [[Foreskin]]
+* [[Penile cancer]]
+* [[Risks and complications]]
 {{LINKS}}
 * {{URLwebsite|http://www.desmond-morris.com/|2026-06-04}}
 * {{URLwikipedia|Desmond_Morris|Desmond Morris}}
+* {{REFweb
+ |url=http://www.desmond-morris.com/biography.php
+ |title=Biography of Desmond John Morris
+ |last=Williams
+ |first=David
+ |init=
+ |author-link=
+ |publisher=The Desmond Morris Information Page
+ |date=2022-09-20
+ |accessdate=2026-06-06
+}}
 {{REF}}