Psychology

  (out of 5 stars)

Behavioral psychologist Hank Davis reveals his thoughts on why stone age thinking is so pervasive in the 21st Century in his book Caveman Logic. While there is little groundbreaking work here, the book provides a nice exploration of the phenomenon and offers a bit of insight into our mental and behavioral tendencies.

When Davis describes "primitive thinking", he is specifically addressing the widespread beliefs in religious and supernatural events and beings, especially where such beliefs rely on things deemed meaningful despite being coincidental. Coincidence is carefully explored, and Davis explains why humans are so likely to see agency and causal relationships despite possessing only the flimsiest evidence. This behavior dates back to our primitive ancestors who were much more likely to survive if they registered false positives when ascribing events to intentional agents than those who did not (such as seeing "faces", the ancestor who believed a face was staring tended to also run from real predators, whereas the one who did not see the face almost certainly failed to run as often from real threats).

A nice introduction to these concepts which have provided a great deal of support for the theories put forth Richard Dawkins and others, Caveman Logic is an excellent starting point for anyone wishing to consider the reasons for why beliefs in supernatural beings and unreasonable events are so widely and strongly held. Likewise, if someone you know tends to interpret coincidences as something more concrete, this book is a good jumping off point. Four stars.

  (out of 5 stars)

In Design for a Life, Bateson and Martin look at how the interaction of nature and nurture affect human behavior. While the book does sample many bits of interesting research covering the subjects, it feels light on details and cursory in its explorations.

Design skips around quickly from subject to subject as the authors explore various points in the debate and research into how nature (genetics) and nurture (parenting and environment) determine human behavior. They look at numerous studies involved in isolating influences and discuss whether this points toward genetic or epigenetic sourcing.

While the book does stay on message and maintains a decent narrative, the manner in which the research and details were interjected felt muddled and off-the-mark. Often, the authors jump from one study to another to another without a solid narrative bridge to keep the reader interested. At times, the authors simply describe the basic results of a study without much analysis or integration into the larger argument. I feel a more streamlined and judicious selection of included research would have left more room for a proper presentation of the data without leaving the discussion feeling underwhelming on substance and detail.

Still, Design has many good points and provides a nice overview of the landscape of the nature / nurture argument as it stood at the time of publication in 2001. While not the best book I've read on the subject, it still holds value for the interested reader of biology, genetics, psychology, and behavior. Three stars.

  (out of 5 stars)

Cognitive scientist and evolutionary psychologist Steven Pinker presents a compelling argument for the existence of a language instinct in humans. Pinker relies heavily on the shoulders of Noam Chomsky, whose theories of language, especially Universal Grammar, revolutionized thinking about the ways in which humans learn to convey thoughts vocally via grammar and symbolism. Pinker's thesis is backed up by numerous studies and decades of research from many disciplines.

The book starts by laying out the argument that there exists an instinct derived through evolutionary natural selection which predisposes humans to acquire and utilize vocalized language. Pinker uses a myriad of studies as well as anecodotal accounts which illustrate the ways in which this process works well, works poorly, or is hindered following accidents and brain disorders.

A bit of a dry section follows as Pinker gets into an advanced discussion of grammar and how the brain may decide how to structure sentences. While many readers while feel their eyes grow fuzzy through these three or so chapters, the section lays the ground work for many of the remaining chapters. Pinker shows that complex language constructions, including the irregular nature of many English verbs and constructs, can be simplified into a few very basic rules and procedures which we understand as basic grammar.

From there, Pinker describes work on language itself, including the meanings and utilization of words, the similarities and diversities of languages, and the nature of baby talk. The rest of the book offers the reader the closing arguments as Pinker describes the biology behind his theory, including how genes might control the language instinct, and how natural selection may have acted upon genetic variety. The last two chapters deal with 'grammar police' (called 'Language Mavens' by Pinker) and the polishing of the main thesis with a chapter titled 'Mind Design.'

I loved the entire book, even the somewhat dry grammar chapters. I know some readers will not make it past that part, and it is understandable since it is dense and deals with a subject most of us hated in school. However, The Language Instinct stands as an amazing argument in favor of a genetic basis for the nature of language and for the ability of very young children to acquire and thrive with a few inate grammatical concepts. Recommended for anyone interested in psychology, linguistics, brain and mind, education, or philosophy of science. Four and one-half stars.