A Most Interesting Problem: What Darwin’s Descent of Man Got Right and Wrong about Human Evolution

Published by Princeton University Press 2021

A Most Interesting Problem

What Darwin’s Descent of Man Got Right and Wrong about Human Evolution

Edited by: Jeremy DeSilva
With contributions by: Janet Browne

https://doi.org/10.1515/9780691210810

Overview
Contents

About this book

Leading scholars take stock of Darwin's ideas about human evolution in the light of modern science

In 1871, Charles Darwin published The Descent of Man, a companion to Origin of Species in which he attempted to explain human evolution, a topic he called "the highest and most interesting problem for the naturalist." A Most Interesting Problem brings together twelve world-class scholars and science communicators to investigate what Darwin got right—and what he got wrong—about the origin, history, and biological variation of humans.

Edited by Jeremy DeSilva and with an introduction by acclaimed Darwin biographer Janet Browne, A Most Interesting Problem draws on the latest discoveries in fields such as genetics, paleontology, bioarchaeology, anthropology, and primatology. This compelling and accessible book tackles the very subjects Darwin explores in Descent, including the evidence for human evolution, our place in the family tree, the origins of civilization, human races, and sex differences.

A Most Interesting Problem is a testament to how scientific ideas are tested and how evidence helps to structure our narratives about human origins, showing how some of Darwin's ideas have withstood more than a century of scrutiny while others have not.

A Most Interesting Problem features contributions by Janet Browne, Jeremy DeSilva, Holly Dunsworth, Agustín Fuentes, Ann Gibbons, Yohannes Haile-Selassie, Brian Hare, John Hawks, Suzana Herculano-Houzel, Kristina Killgrove, Alice Roberts, and Michael Ryan.

Author / Editor information

Jeremy DeSilva is associate professor of anthropology at Dartmouth College. He lives in Norwich, Vermont.

Reviews

"A Most Interesting Problem is fun, animated, insightful, and startlingly up to date. In one expertly written chapter after another, it shows where Darwin was mostly right, partly right, or where he completely lost the plot. This book is not only a great read, it is living, breathing science."—Nina G. Jablonski, author of Living Color: The Biological and Social Meaning of Skin Color

"A Most Interesting Problem brilliantly summarizes what Darwin got right and wrong about human evolution, confronts how his ideas have inspired but also sometimes misguided generations since, and points the way forward for the next generation of inquiry. This is an indispensable companion for anyone interested in why humans are the way they are and why that matters."—Daniel E. Lieberman, author of Exercised: Why Something We Never Evolved to Do Is Healthy and Rewarding

"A wonderful tribute to Charles Darwin's Descent of Man, full of admiration for the great naturalist but also unflinchingly critical in assessing how his ideas have weathered the decades. A must-read for every Darwin fan."—Angela Saini, author of Superior: The Return of Race Science

"A compelling take on Darwin's Descent. A Most Interesting Problem brings together a team of authoritative voices who offer modern perspectives on the spectacular diversity of topics and issues raised by Darwin's famous book."—James T. Costa, author of Darwin's Backyard: How Small Experiments Led to a Big Theory

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
Contents Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
List of Illustrations Publicly Available Download PDF	xi
Preface Jeremy M. DeSilva Publicly Available Download PDF	xiii
Contributors Publicly Available Download PDF	xxiii
Introduction Janet Browne Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
1 The Fetus, the Fish Heart, and the Fruit Fly A reflection on Darwin’s Chapter 1: The Evidence of the Descent of Man from Some Lower Form Alice Roberts Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	24
2 Remarkable but Not Extraordinary: The Evolution of the Human Brain A reflection on Darwin’s Chapter 2: Comparison of the Mental Powers of Man and the Lower Animals Suzana Herculano-Houzel Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	46
3 The Darwinian Road to Morality A reflection on Darwin’s Chapter 3: Comparison of the Mental Powers of Man and the Lower Animals—continued Brian Hare Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	63
4 Charles Darwin and the Fossil Evidence for Human Evolution A reflection on Darwin’s Chapter 4: On the Manner of Development of Man from Some Lower Form Yohannes Haile-Selassie Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	82
5 A Century of Civilization, Intelligence, and (White) Nationalism A reflection on Darwin’s Chapter 5: On the Development of the Intellectual and Moral Faculties during Primeval and Civilised Times Kristina Killgrove Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	103
6 Ranking Humanity among the Primates A reflection on Darwin’s Chapter 6: On the Affinities and Genealogy of Man John Hawks Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	125
7 “On the Races of Man”: Race, Racism, Science, and Hope A reflection on Darwin’s Chapter 7: On the Races of Man Agustín Fuentes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	144
8 Resolving the Problem of Sexual Beauty A reflection on Darwin’s Part 2 (Chapters 8–18): Michael J. Ryan Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	162
9 This View of Wife 183 A reflection on Darwin’s Chapters and 20: Secondary Sexual Characters of Man Holly Dunsworth Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	183
10 Dinner with Darwin: Sharing the Evidence Bearing on the Origin of Humans Ann Gibbons Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	204
Acknowledgments Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	223
Notes Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	225
Index Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	247