Why Think?: Evolution and the Rational Mind

In a world where natural selection has shaped adaptations of astonishing ingenuity, what is the scope and unique power of rational thinking?

In this short but wide-ranging book, philosopher Ronald de Sousa looks at the twin set of issues surrounding the power of natural selection to mimic rational design, and rational thinking as itself a product of natural selection.

While we commonly deem ourselves superior to other species, the logic of natural selection should not lead us to expect that...