A century and a half after the publication of "Origin of
Species, " evolutionary thinking has expanded beyond the field of
biology to include virtually all human-related
subjects--anthropology, archeology, psychology, economics,
religion, morality, politics, culture, and art. Now a distinguished
scholar offers the first comprehensive account of the evolutionary
origins of art and storytelling. Brian Boyd explains why we tell
stories, how our minds are shaped to understand them, and what
difference an evolutionary understanding of human nature makes to
stories we love.
Art is a specifically human adaptation, Boyd argues. It offers
tangible advantages for human survival, and it derives from play,
itself an adaptation widespread among more intelligent animals.
More particularly, our fondness for storytelling has sharpened
social cognition, encouraged cooperation, and fostered
creativity.
After considering art as adaptation, Boyd examines Homer's
"Odyssey" and Dr. Seuss's "Horton Hears a Who " demonstrating how
an evolutionary lens can offer new understanding and appreciation
of specific works. What triggers our emotional engagement with
these works? What patterns facilitate our responses? The need to
hold an audience's attention, Boyd underscores, is the fundamental
problem facing all storytellers. Enduring artists arrive at
solutions that appeal to cognitive universals: an insight out of
step with contemporary criticism, which obscures both the
individual and universal. Published for the bicentenary of Darwin's
birth and the 150th anniversary of the publication of "Origin of
Species, " Boyd's study embraces a Darwinian view of human nature
and art, and offers a credo for a new humanism.
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