William H. Calvin

The Ascent of Mind

This review refers to the German translation of the book.

Monika says:

It is an established fact that the ice age was important for the development of the human brain. Modern man is a child of the ice age, but exactly how did the climate influence the growth of the brain? William Calvin takes a look at the subject from a slightly different perspective than his colleagues. How did man manage not only to survive in the rough conditions of the ice age climate but even progress with in evolutionary terms incredible speed?

If the climate changes for the worse not only the fauna but also the flora suffers. Early man had to adapt his way of life to the new conditions, i. e. as a hunter and gatherer he had to specialize on hunting rather than gathering. During the last ice age the vegetation period was short and for the rest of the year humans had to find other food. Natural selection favored those who developed the most effective hunting strategies, and the necessity of coordinated hunting behavior led to an increased intelligence and a bigger brain.

One interesting point of Calvin’s theory is the discovery that the hand axe makes an excellent hunting tool. When thrown it reacts like a frisbee and the point digs into the ground on impact. Even bigger animals can be struck down easier with a hand axe than with a stone, because the pain caused by the sharp edge makes them buckle which doesn’t happen if the animals are hit with a blunt object. Precise throwing requires a high measure of coordination that an ape’s brain would not be capable of. The throwing theory explains in a simple and plausible way why the brain of our ancestors made such astonishing progress.

William H. Calvin is a neurobiologist and professor for psychiatry and behaviorism at the University of Washington in Seattle. He is one of those scientists who are able to write books for laypeople without oversimplifying or trivializing his subjects. THE ASCENT OF MIND is no dry textbook but a fascinating excursion into the world of our ancestors that helps us understand how we became who we are today.

For more information, articles and samples chapters go to http://williamcalvin.com.

Any comments? Write us:

Monika Hübner

Last changes: 27-04-03

Copyright 2001 Christina Gross & Monika Hübner