For many years, the world famous biologist Frans de Waal has studied the life of chimpanzees and bonobo monkeys. In the process of research, he identified clear rudiments of ethical behavior in the primate community. According to the author, morality is not a purely human property, and its origins must be sought in animals. Empathy and other manifestations of a kind of morality are inherent in monkeys, dogs, elephants, and even reptiles. In addition to a fascinating story about ethical forms of behavior in the world of primates, the author raises deep philosophical questions related to science and religion. How and when did morality arise? What influence did religion have on the formation of ethics? What happens to a society where the role of religion is declining, and is Dostoevsky’s hero Ivan Karamazov right when he says: “If there is no God, I have the right to rob my neighbor”?