The Species That Changed Itself: How Prosperity Reshaped Humanity

by Edwin Gale

An inquisitive, expansive and fascinating exploration of humans as creatures of our own making

Other species adapt to their environments; we alone create ours. Over generations, we have remade the world to suit ourselves - using improved knowledge and technology to confront the traditional scourges - and for the most part we enjoy prosperity beyond the dreams of our ancestors. What's more, in changing our world, we have also reshaped the human phenotype - the interaction between genes and environment that moulds our bodies and minds.

The results can be seen in the streets of our post-industrial cities. We are taller and heavier, and live longer. We think and behave differently, and die from once-rare diseases. Our experiences of life have been transformed, and in turn so have our societies.

Weaving together biology, social anthropology, epidemiology and history, Edwin Gale examines the shifting physical and mental dimensions of our lives, from ageing to illness, food production to reproduction, designer bodies to IQ tests, and are we a self-domesticated species?

Genres: Nonfiction, Science, Anthropology, Social Science, History

400 pages, Hardcover

Published November 26, 2020

Reviews

[Marija S. · Rating 3 out of 5]

It is obvious that a lot of effort has been put into this book; it offers some thought provoking ideas/statements and is laced with a good dose of specific kind of humor. However, I discovered that I was often struggling to grasp what the author wanted to say, only to discover that, apart from interesting anecdotes, I really do not have any clear takeaways or see clear paths of reasoning .

Reading this book was like listening to a lengthy monologue of a tipsy professor; a lot of peculiar factoids, anectides, facts and did-you-knows have been amassed and haphazardly presented without clear or convincing conclusions.

[Peter Van der Boom · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wel interessant, maar wat vermoeiend boek over (het ontstaan van) de moderne mens. Gale beschrijft hoe we steeds beter om kunnen / konden gaan met onze omgeving en hoe we onszelf daardoor hebben gedomesticeerd: ons zelf afhankelijk hebben gemaakt van het systeem waarin we leven. Onze speelruimte is erdoor verkleind. Voor de vasthoudende liefhebber!

[Prashanth Nuggehalli Srinivas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating meta-narrative synthesising multiple disciplines across paleo-archeological, evolution, history, biology and anthropology. Very easily readable and essay-like prose. Richly footnoted and full of several anecdotes all of which heavily Euro-centric and declared so here and there.

[Henri Tournyol du Clos · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a physician writing about economic history and its consequences. It is a quick and entertaining read, sporting both numerous illuminating insights and a great collection of anecdotes, but also some noticeable and worrying basic misunderstandings.