Jonathan Kingdon’s book Lowly Origin traces the evolution of
humans. He contends that what used
to be perceived as a linear process is actually more of a family bush with many
branches, some leading to extinction rather than to our present existence. It is an interesting story, framed
within an ecological and social context around the question of what brought us
to stand up.
Two concepts that are teased out
in the text seem particularly relevant to our current fitness situation
(note: I am using the word in the
usual context for this blog, not in the evolutionary sense). One is that our major heritage, as
animals, is as opportunists and niche-swipers. We are not specialized, particularly, in our bodies, but in
our minds, where we recognize and exploit resources first discovered by other
animals. This makes us almost
endlessly adaptable, which is great; we can learn to cope with many different
challenges. It also means that we
have to be mindful of the consequences of our choices and their impact on other
creatures, both human and otherwise.
Fitness is about living into our potential.
The second concept arises from
the first. Our experience of the
world, given our relatively unspecialized forms, is mediated through
technology. For early humans, this
meant that we used tools to make food accessible to us (stones, sticks, knives,
fire). This habit of being has
percolated well beyond the survival level. Perhaps it is not surprising that we have become smart phone
addicts given that we evolved in concert with technology. Again, this evolutionary habit provides
us tremendous opportunity for growth and encloses within it a dangerous
potential for abuse via disconnect from the rest of the world.
In our current climate, I can
wholeheartedly say that it is a pleasure to read about real research and
thoughtful theorizing. If nothing
else, this book is good for our scientific fitness as we work to survive the
very concept of alternative facts.
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