HarperCollins/Basic Books
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"The Runaway Brain"

Wills, 1993, 0-465-03131-5, U$25.00/C$33.50

This book is a very pleasant read for those interested in the study of
human origins, in particular, the fields of human paleology and human
genetics.  At the same time, it is remarkably difficult to find a point or
thesis to the book.  I read the preface three times trying to find some
statement of direction before I read the book, and it was only after
completing the work that certain statements began to form a pattern when I
read it the fourth time.

One point Wills wants to make is that contrary to what we seem to assume,
human beings assume that they have escaped the process of evolution. 
However, while he does make the statement that he wants to, "put us
squarely back in the evolutionary framework," the text itself offers no
evidence, or even discussion, of this topic.

The preface also states that part one of the book presents a series of
"dilemmas" about human evolution, and that the remaining parts address
them.  If so, part one raises either a cloud of questions, or no definable
ones.  Certainly part one does not leave one with any sense of coherent
direction.

It may be that the "dilemmas" are the three questions supposedly put forth
in the preface.  The first is the question of where we first appeared as a
species.  The second ...  well, I honestly can't find it.  Then there is a
"third dilemma" which seems to be related to misconceptions about evolution
as a directed force, and the supposition that we, as a species, have
reached some sort of goal.

In reality, part one is a discussion of the study of human evolution in
terms of genetics.  The material is presented clearly, and in an
interesting manner.  Along with clear explanations of the "female only"
descent of mitochondrial DNA, and its significance in the theorized
"Mitochondrial Eve," there are stories and anecdotes of the people behind
the studies.  Part two discusses paleology and the fossil record in much
the same manner.  Part three turns again to genetic studies.  Part four is
an interesting, but inconclusive, gathering of studies and opinions in
sociology, animal behaviourism and psychology.

So what does all of this have to with brains, let alone runaway ones? 
Wills does raise the question of whether evolution "drove" the development
of the human brain, or whether the development of the brain drove some
other aspects of evolution.  The question is thereafter never addressed,
except to say that the development of the brain has been extraordinarily
rapid in evolutionary terms.  Unfortunately, this bald statement is never
backed up with comparative data.

The one "point" that the book does seem to try to make is that the human
species evolved simultaneously in many places.  An attempt is made to use
this hypothesis to belittle racist ideas.  Fat chance:  racists are
probably too dumb to read.  Certainly a book like this has too few pictures
for them.

Unfortunately for Wills' multiple origins theory, the mere fact that Homo
Erectus is found in multiple locations does not support a theory of
parallel evolution.  Only one among the many things it ignores is the
extraordinary penchant that the human animal has for travelling.

In the end, this is an amusing and generally informative book on
evolutionary studies.  While it misses far too many topics to function as a
textbook, for those who want an introduction to some of the more recent
biological arguments about origins it is a relatively painless entree.

copyright Robert M.  Slade, 1993   BKRNWBRN.RVW  931213