How our brains have evolved so that we control how we think and
behave
The Unpredictable Species argues that the human brain evolved in a way
that enhances our cognitive flexibility and capacity for innovation and
imitation. In doing so, the book challenges the central claim of
evolutionary psychology that we are locked into predictable patterns of
behavior that were fixed by genes, and refutes the claim that language
is innate. Philip Lieberman builds his case with evidence from
neuroscience, genetics, and physical anthropology, showing how our basal
ganglia--structures deep within the brain whose origins predate the
dinosaurs--came to play a key role in human creativity. He demonstrates
how the transfer of information in these structures was enhanced by
genetic mutation and evolution, giving rise to supercharged neural
circuits linking activity in different parts of the brain. Human
invention, expressed in different epochs and locales in the form of
stone tools, digital computers, new art forms, complex
civilizations--even the latest fashions--stems from these supercharged
circuits.
The Unpredictable Species boldly upends scientifically controversial
yet popular beliefs about how our brains actually work. Along the way,
this compelling book provides insights into a host of topics related to
human cognition, including associative learning, epigenetics, the skills
required to be a samurai, and the causes of cognitive confusion on Mount
Everest and of Parkinson's disease.
