The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature

By Geoffrey Miller

Book Overview

At once a pioneering study of evolution and an accessible and lively reading experience, The Mating Mind marks the arrival of a prescient and provocative new science writer. Psychologist Geoffrey Miller offers the most convincing-and radical-explanation for how and why the human mind evolved.

Consciousness, morality, creativity, language, and art: these are the traits that make us human. Scientists have traditionally explained these qualities as merely a side effect of surplus brain size, but Miller argues that they were sexual attractors, not side effects. He bases his argument on Darwin' s theory of sexual selection, which until now has played second fiddle to Darwin' s theory of natural selection, and draws on ideas and research from a wide range of fields, including psychology, economics, history, and pop culture. Witty, powerfully argued, and continually thought-provoking, The Mating Mind is a landmark in our understanding of our own species.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 038549517X
• ISBN13: 9780385495172
• Release Date: April 2001
• Publisher: Anchor Books
• Length: 528 Pages
• Weight: 0.91 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.0" x 5.2" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

It's all about understanding

Only a true scientist could have written a book like this one. Someone who is knowledgeable enough to know the facts, brilliant enough to come up with a sound theory and courageous enough to stand up for it, even though it follows the lines not very popular for the last century. As it turns out to be, Darwin's theory had two halves to it, the one about natural selection and the one about sexual selection. To be evolutionary successful, to pass its genes further in time, not only the creature has to survive (this is where natural selection plays), but also to participate in sex, to give birth to a child, and this is the realm of sexual selection. But for various (mostly unscientifical) reasons, the bigger and more important sexual selection half has been neglected by other scientists of the time. As soon as you are attractive to the other sex - you are fit for evolutionary success, and you develop traits necessary for that fitness demonstration. Simple and clear. The book applies those evolutionary ideas to everything human. Applying the theory to every imaginable aspect of human nature, the author nevertheless notes: "My sexual choice theory sometimes sounds as if it could explain anything, and hence explains nothing. [...] Indeed, one goal of this book is to inspire other scientists to join me in testing these ideas." The first half of the book takes formal approach to the principles behind the theory and refers to and grounds on works on many other respectable scientists. Then the author shows the power and applicability of the theory in many aspects, detailed discussion of each could take a book in itself. The second half of the book consists of small chapters, each touching different aspect of human nature and behaviour. "Life Stories", "Creativity And Intelligence", "Apathy as the Evolutionary Norm", and so on. Enough ideas for a lifetime. I'm neither a psychologist, nor a biologist, but as a mathematician I greatly appreciate the logic in scientific arguments, even though I might not be in position of verifying all the citations. And the author's logic in this book is impeccable. Of course, as everything else, it has its weak spots and assumptions impossible to ever verify, but whenever this happens, the author points right to it instead of hiding behind words like "it's obvious" or "every highly moral human would understand". To me, Mr. Miller's theory was a real mind blower. It simply explains a lot of things I see around. Things that I have long thought about, things that bugged me, his theory clearly explains. And it does so without straining - that's what makes me believe it's true - it has no shortcuts, everything is very simple and clear and coherent with the observable facts. If you want to read this book you have to let go of all the prejudices you might have. Accept that the "civilization" we normally associate with "humanity", is no more than a tiny glitch on an endless timescale of evolution. Remember the diversity ev

If virtual reality gets cheaper than dating......

When virtual reality gets cheaper than dating, society is doomed......the title is Dogbert's succinct perspective of evolutionarty psychology focusing on human sexual choice and male courtship effort. As a neophyte I was impressed with the intriguing ideas evenly sprinkled throught the book. Principal among these was the runaway brain, fitness indicators and the handicap principle that Miller uses as a basis to explain human mind's intricate evolution. Miller tries to argue that any form of sexual selection for fitness indicators should even out genetic variation in fitness - which means if females favor tall males then all males should be tall. Yet we dont see that and the differences remain in the species - so why does evolution allows such differences. Another interesting idea, originally proposed by Zahavi, is the handicap principle - which is advertising fitness and "sexual ornamentation" by handicapping an individual with a survival cost. It basically means fit peacocks showing off extravagant plumage to attract mates even if it means making themselves more prone to predators or simply carrying the extra load around risking their survial. Highly evolved fitness indicators means using costly signals to attract a mate. In human terms it might transform to - you buying an expensive diamond ring from Cartier for your lady-love fully aware that its gonna make a dent in your pocket, will add no survival benefit whatsoever to you or her but yet show her that you make so much money that not only you can buy that ring but you are willing to devote tremendous personal resources to win her. Evolution of human morality - which itself is a costly indicator, may also have been selected through sexual choice. Morally uninspiring traits have evolved to be sexual turn-offs in human male-female dynamics. One entire book on this is Origins of Virtue by Matt Ridley. Moreover generosity to blood relatives could be genetic selfishness. It was rather surprising to read that even art could have been evolved through sexual choice. Hand-axes could have been the first Objects 'de Art - some were too cumbersome and costly to have been practically used - might suggest at mental and physical fitness value. Art is afterall an application of skill beyond the necessary and some of them might have been crafted just for asthetic value. All fitness indicators are hence costly and used to enchance sexual status and find out for yourself whether the converse is true. The book has so many compelling ideas that any one review cannot do justice to it. If you are still undecided about buying a book on evolutionary psychology, this one is highly recommended. By the way, it would not be a bad idea to read this book with one of Leil Lowndes. Although they deal with varied disciplines, you'll find that they complement each other.

A Must Read

Science at its best: explaining much with few assuptions. This is a book about sexual selection: how all humans show off to tell others they have good genes. Contrary to natural selection, sexual selection explains things like telling stories, playing sports, writing books, pursuing scientific careers, struggling for financial success. Women try to persuade men they are young and fertile, and men - that they are intelligent enough to provide women with needed support. That is why we buy too many cars, waste money in expensive restaurants, possess yachts not having time to enjoy them and build 1000-feet buildings to have our headquarters there. All those strange things intelectuals sweared unexplainable are easily understood. Of course, evolutionary psychology and sexual selection are still developing, and majority of hypotheses in this book are not yet well established or proved, but they simply can't be wrong. As with publishing of 'The Origin of Species' every open-minded person is struck with obviousness and power of this theory. ...Maybe not so, because as Miller admits he is only bringing us back Darwin's theory of human nature outlined in his 'The Descent of Man'. Then people were not yet ready for the truth. Are we?

Entertaining and true

Geoffrey Miller is probably the handsomest evolutionary psychologist in the business, which may be (or, then again, may not be) why he chose to concentrate on the neglected topic of sexual selection. This updating of Darwin's "The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex" is tons of fun to read, and seems to authoritatively answer a lot of the questions about why art exists that Steven Pinker's "How the Mind Works" tended to gloss over. (Short answer: cuz chicks dig it).However, anyone familiar with Darwin's book will note that Miller prudently left out one of the "The Descent of Man's" major themes: how sexual selection leads to differences among the races. As a young man starting out, Miller can be forgiven for not touching that huge taboo, but as his reputation solidifies, we can only hope that he returns to the crucial question of human biodiversity. I also look forward to his future writings on IQ. He is one of the few evolutionary psychologists (who study human universals) who is also a behavioral geneticist (who study human differences). We're desperately in need of somebody who can synthesize the two fields. Miller has the talent, and hopefully he can muster the courage to shatter the Tooby-Cosmides party line that thinking about human differences is evil, or boring, or just not done in polite society, or whatever their latest reason is. Despite these missing pieces, "The Mating Mind" is an impressive launch to what should be an impressive career.Steve Sailer -- President, Human Biodiversity Institute ---

He is asking all the right questions

It was wonderful to read someone who realizes what the big puzzling phenomena are in human behavior, who who has read very widely in search of data and theories to illuminate that phenomena, and who has sufficient analytical precision to identify the failings in previous theories. Mr. Miller also does a heroic job of attempting to construct a simple common framework, primarily sexual selection of costly fitness indicators, to explain many otherwise puzzling human behaviors, such as sport, art, morality, and language. Mr. Miller has probably chosen the right framework for explaining most of these puzzles, and made some good first steps in fitting human behavior into that framework. In the end, the fit remains awkward, and an academic I would rather that Mr. Miller had concluded his book by summarizing the vast remaining difficulties and open questions, rather than leave many readers with the impression that he had solved most of the big puzzles. But while he may not have all the answers, Mr. Miller has done an excellent job of framing the important questions.