The Theory That Changed Everything

September 11, 2017
Lieberman (The Unpredictable Species), professor emeritus at Brown University, uses Charles Darwin and his theory of natural selection as a springboard to discuss a range of interesting topics that demonstrate the power natural selection has had in shaping human evolution. He references some of his own groundbreaking research, including some regarding humans’ ability to speak and our closest primate relatives’ inability to do the same. Lieberman clearly explains complex issues such as epigenetic mechanisms and the reasons he disputes “Noam Chomsky’s claim that all humans possess an innate organ of the brain, a universal grammar that specifies the syntax of every language that has or will exist.” The book concludes with a chapter entitled “What Would Darwin Think About...” that is misguided at best and embarrassing at worst. Here readers are told, for example, that in response to global warming “Darwin would be a presence on the Internet would be e-mailing friends and contacts in high places, urging them to action.” Such speculation isn’t particularly informative; nonetheless, there’s much of interest elsewhere in the book to engage readers interested in the evolution of humans. Illus.

November 1, 2017

The subtitle for cognitive scientist Lieberman's new book states that Charles Darwin's influential On the Origin of Species (1859) is still a work in progress. As a result, Lieberman sets out to prove exactly that. While Species has been often considered outdated, Lieberman breathes new life into the tome, proving that this seminal guide is still a viable path for understanding how our species and others have evolved throughout time. Early in the book, Lieberman disputes Darwin's theory that evolution was a gradual process, stating that evolution can be brought on by rapid change through human interaction with the environment and natural selection. For instance, Lieberman states that the environment could produce effects that would transcend heredity such as the changes in human food supply. He also considers the evolutionary aspects that helped people adapt to language, explaining how the interplay among the tongue, lungs, and larynx facilitates speech. The conversational tone feels intimate although at times disjointed. VERDICT Overall, an enjoyable and well-written book for those who appreciate Species and its impact on our lives today.--Rebecca Hill, Zionsville, IN

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