Customer Reviews

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

5 star:		(33)
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3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(4)
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I could not put this book down. Any student in psychology or biology should read this book. Any man who would like to understand the underlying reasons of what works on the flirtation market should read this book. This book was down right sexy. Do not start reading it with modern societies' moralities in mind. What it means to be human and human sexuality is a lot older than modern views on sex. This book explores the reasons behind all the things we do in order to "get some". A wonderfully informative read. The only reason I did not give 5 stars was that I was looking for more specific information gleaned from specific studies. Some readers may not need that but I was looking for it. I love it that my favorite book "Clan of the Cave Bear" was cited. (Not in a supportive way but I was still glad to see it mentioned anyway.)

Geoffrey Miller is a wonderful writer, fully in command of the theory and evidence in evolutionary biology, evolutionary psychology, and animal behavior. He is also widely read in the arts and popular culture. He has a fertile imagination and a creative bent that makes reading his ideas a real pleasure. This book is, as they say, "a good read."

But is it correct? Miller tries to explain the mystery of human intellect and creativity. Why would a creature (us) who evolved under the most primitive of material conditions, who lacked even sedentary agriculture until 10,000 years ago, have evolved the mental capacity for beauty, wit, rhythm, and truth? His answer is: sexual (as opposed to survival) selection. In short we are smart and talented because women preferred to mate with smart and talented men.

There is a problem, however. There are two theories of sexual selection: runaway selection (associated with Darwin and Ronald Fisher), and the handicap principle (Zahavi). Most of Miller's arguments require the former (although he formally disavows this early in the book), while the latter is probably the only plausible model of sexual selection.

For instance, the idea that we have large brains because women prefer intelligent men, even if intelligence imposes a fitness cost on men, is plausible only if intelligence is a signal of a superior fitness in some other hidden area (e.g., a lower parasite load). But I cannot think of one such area, nor does Miller supply one. Intelligence may have direct fitness benefits for humans, but that is NOT sexual selection, but straightforward selection for survivability.

In short, I think Miller is wrong, and I know there is no quantitative evidence for his 'just-so story,' but I loved the book anyway.

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.

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 ---

There was a commercial for Toyota's Paseo a few years ago in which its reliability was being touted when suddenly an insistent voice came on and whispered what Toyota hoped was the subliminal truth: "Women dig it!"

I think the perception of the human brain as a sexual ornament--Geoffrey Miller's primary argument in this book--is in the same class. Sex may help to sell cars, and the fact that women are attracted to men of means with expensive cars (forget the Paseo) is not to be doubted, but to suppose that the primary function of any automobile is symbolic or ornamental is mistaken. While witty conversation and musical display certainly are attractive attributes of a well-made brain, they are secondary to the social, political and subsistence skills of that brain as reasons for its being.

The brain, as Miller points out, is a very expensive organ, eating up a disproportional amount of our caloric intake, requiring a long period of development both inside and outside the womb, as well as making childbirth painful and dangerous--which are some of the reasons it has never grown so disproportionately large in any other creature. Such an organ must have some very fine compensating qualities to make it adaptive. The fact that women dig it (or men for that matter) isn't enough. The case of the peacock with its huge showy tail feathers and the Irish elk with its enormous antlers are cited as examples of runaway sexual ornamentation, and they are that, I suppose. But the Irish elk is extinct and the peacock is not exactly a favorite to survive for very much longer. Most creatures do not develop features that are so grossly expensive strictly as lures for the opposite sex. Most such lures are modest, the coloring of birds, the combs on roosters, the mane on a lion, a woman's breasts, etc.

Miller knows this and his book does not contradict what I have written. The problem is one of perception and understanding. Evolutionary theory, seemingly so simple at first glance, is an incredibly complex subject, so much so that no one person can hope to grasp it all--or, I should say, grasp what little we now know. Evolutionary psychology, which follows from the fact of evolution just as surely as evolutionary biology does, is also an incredibly complex subject awaiting its first genius. But separating "just so stories" from genuine insights is extraordinarily difficult. There is no way Miller or others can prove that the human brain developed in part because of sexual selection--although I personally do not doubt that it did. Nor do I doubt that the elephant's size was also enhanced through sexual selection, perhaps even the cheetah's speed as well. But how to prove it? Consequently, it becomes a matter of opinion to what extent the thesis is correct. Is Miller overstating the case? There is no sure way of deciding. Each reader must weigh the arguments and reach his own conclusions. This is why evolutionary psychology, despite its enormous power to provide insight into who we are and why we behave as we do, is difficult for some people to understand and will continue to be controversial for many decades to come.

But this very readable and thought-provoking work goes well beyond its primary thesis as Miller explores sexual selection theory over a wide range of human ability and ornamentation. One of the most exciting things he does is to recognize that biologist Amotz Zahavi's handicap principle can function as a fitness indicator not only to predators but to members of the opposite sex. Thus springboks jump into the air to show predators that they have energy to spare, while women incur the "handicap" of growing large, fatty breasts to show that they have foraged well and have reserves to feed their children. In this way fitness is demonstrated, the former to discourage a fruitless chase, the latter to advertise ready fertility to members of the opposite sex.

I also appreciate his recall of neotony--the retention of child-like features in the adult--as a significant feature of sexual selection. Most recent books on evolutionary psychology have forgotten Ashley Montagu's Growing Young (1989) and Stephen J. Gould's Ontongeny and Phylogeny (1977) both cited by Miller. Sexual selection makes us appear more childlike as a youth indicator, consistent with choosing a mate that will serve us well as a partner for many years to come.

Miller will find his critics here because one of the things he is trying to do is diminish the idea that the intellectual and artistic abilities of the brain are merely fortuitous side effects of its subsistential and social function, which is the position of Stephen Jay Gould and others. In this attempt I don't think Miller is going to be entirely successful. Fortuitous side effects of organs are at the very heart of evolutionary change, sometimes becoming more important than the earlier function. We see this in the case of fins that became legs, or light-detecting organs that became capable of discerning movement and color, and so on. The best explanation for the rapid and disproportionate growth of the human brain is its social/political function. Following in importance is its ability to understand the environment in a way that allows us to find food and shelter and avoid predators. Then, I would say, its tertiary function is to display itself to the opposite sex, to be "sexy."

It is impossible to do justice to this ambitious work in a review limited to a thousand words; however had I more space, given the wide terrain explored by Miller, I would be inadequate to the task. Quite simply, this is an incredibly complex work by a gifted young scientist trying to establish himself as one of the leaders in the growing field of evolutionary psychology, and a book all interested persons should read.

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 even of existing peoples and don't just think that those who don't believe in Christ are weirdos. Admit that the rules by which people evolve did not change, and I don't mean "since invention of {your favourite feature you associate with civilization success}" but for million years. Forget your complexes and fobias. Forget everything TV and movies have inserted into you. The hardest things to admit are your own biases and beliefs. Here is one other quote which displays the virtue of this work:

"Moral philosophers consider only a tiny fraction of human virtues and moral judgements worthy of analysis. But scientists must consider them all."

To conclude, note that this is a book about understanding. It's not about defying morality or norms of society, it's about knowing how it works. To quote:

"the sexual choice theory is ambitious in trying to offer some new theoretical foundations for understanding human culture."

Amazing book, amazing work of science, amazingly thought out and written, with clear language and unique sense of humour.

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?

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.

This is a brilliant, entertaining, and thorough cross-section of the major competing and complimentary theories regarding sexual selection. It begins as an engaging and cerebral examination of the history of sexual selection and their evidence in nature, and their possible applications to human behavior. It maintains this throughout, but so compelling is the evidence, and so illuminating are these theories that by the time you've finished with this book, you've been given a huge advantage in understanding the confusing, frustrating, and bizarre behaviors of the opposite sex.

The focus of this book is an academic treatment of the biological and psychological processes involved in mating and how they've led humanity to intelligence, creativity, and to create civilization. But you don't have to have anything other than a moderate understanding of evolutionary theory to find this book engaging.

Reading this book will not only clue you in to how human intelligence evolved, it'll give you top secret information about the motivations of the opposite sex, entertain you for hours, provide you with virtually irrefutable supporting evidence for evolution, leave your coat shiny and healthy-looking, and freshen your breath while you chew it!!

I may have gotten a bit carried away, but this book is fantastic.

Psychologist Geoffrey Miller takes on Darwin's long ignored theory of sexual selection and gives it new life. In this book written for the general audience he uses Darwin's theory to explain all that natural selection could not and does it in a way that is most entertaining. According to Miller, all those qualities that animals and humans possess that do not give them an obvious survival benefit will only continue in future generations if they provide reproductive advantage. The author gives several examples from the animal world explaining why birds sing, insects dance, and peacocks grow and preen those lovely tails.

Regarding humans, Miller claims we are attracted to beauty, youth and energy because people possessing these qualities are more likely to be fertile and have healthier offspring. Creativity, humor, athletic ability,and intelligence were all traits selected as desirable in males by African females long ago and that is why these qualities are with us today.

According to Miller, we do it all for love and those animals that perform well and/or look healthy will be judged the fittest and will most likely be chosen to pass on their genes.I found most of Miller's ideas completely plausible and believe some of them testable. However, I am curious as to why human female adornment was not mentioned more. Overall The Mating Mind is a marvelous book.