In 1972 Elaine Morgan's first book, 'The Descent of Woman,' a huge and instant best-seller, came as a reminder - much needed at the time - that no account of the 'Emergence of Man,' could afford to confine its attentions to one sex without falling into serious errors. This brilliant new book points out the dangers of focusing too much attention of single age group - adults. Infants, like women, have been there throughout our evolutionary history, their well-being equally vital to species survival. Yet, in the five million years in which the growing power of 'Homo sapiens' has enabled us to dominate the planet, our babies have become increasingly helpless, immature and vulnerable. What is the relationship between these two facts? As Jean Piaget wrote: 'The child explains the adult far more than the reverse.' "The Descent of Child" looks at evolution from the child's point of view - from conception and the development of the foetus to birth, child rearing and parental roles. It not only throws new light on where we may have come from, adding new evidence to support the Aquatic Ape Theory of evolution against the Savannah Theory, but it enables us to make a better informed assessments of urgent contemporary problems, such as the break-up of the family, abortion, infertility, over-population and woman's place in society. The first study of its kind, this highly readable, scientifically based book forces us to look at the human race in an entirely new way. It is certain to provoke widespread and heated debate.
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"It was one of the most outrageous, improbable evolutionary ideas
ever proposed... now the idea... is becoming respectable." -- 'The Observer'
"Part feminist polemic, part evolutionary bombshell." -- 'The Guardian'
"She is more scientific than Genesis, more up to date than
Darwin... and she writes better than Desmond Morris."
-- 'Sunday Telegraph'
ever proposed... now the idea... is becoming respectable." -- 'The Observer'
"Part feminist polemic, part evolutionary bombshell." -- 'The Guardian'
"She is more scientific than Genesis, more up to date than
Darwin... and she writes better than Desmond Morris."
-- 'Sunday Telegraph'
About the Author
Elaine Morgan became a household name in 1972 with her first book, 'The Descent of Woman,' an instant best seller that has been translated into nine languages. Since then she has become increasingly absorbed in the subject of human evolution and two further books, 'The Aquatic Ape' and 'The Scars of Evolution,' received glowing reviews in the world's scientific press. She also contributed to 'The Aquatic Ape: Fact or Fiction?' and to a symposium on the Aquatic Ape Theory featured in the British Association for the Advancement of Science annual conference in 1992.
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8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
By A Customer
Since Darwin and Wallace's articulation of the theory of evolution in 1859 many have used it to explain adult human behavior. As was the case with "The Decent of Woman" and "The Aquatic Ape," Morgan's unique perspective has given us a powerful and useful glimpse into the co-evolution of human parenting, and human prenatal, and infant development. Starting with the evolutionary value of sexual reproduction, Morgan explores fossil evidence and comparative physiology in the process of providing a broad evolutionary context for a deeper understanding of human development. At the end of the book, Morgan uses the platform provided by this deeper understanding to articulate strong arguments against further social investment in criminal justice and prison systems, and in favor of greater social investment in healthy living and educational environments where that investment will do the most good, "at the beginning." An excellent read for parents, scholars, and citizens who would like to find ways to improve the quality of life in our modern world.
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By G. Imroth
In 'The Descent of the Child: Human Evolution from a New Perspective', Elaine Morgan discusses the evolution, development and growth of children from the perspective of the child.
We take a wrong perspective when we assume that an infant has this or that physical or mental attribute because the adult he grows into will need it. Evolution does not work this way: if there is a cost to producing a large and slow-growing but conscious infant, then adaptationist natural selection requires that the benefit is primarily to the infant and only secondarily to the adult he will become.
Why are babies born with such large brains and so much intelligence? Why is a baby's intelligence switched on so early? The reason is that infants need such attributes, not because adults will later benefit from them.
The writing is lively and fact-filled, showing Elaine Morgan's characteristic genius for finding original common sense interpretations of the facts of biology, anthropology and sociology. 'The Descent of the Child' also adds another facet to Elaine Morgan's major contribution to science, the aquatic ape theory. I highly recommend it.
We take a wrong perspective when we assume that an infant has this or that physical or mental attribute because the adult he grows into will need it. Evolution does not work this way: if there is a cost to producing a large and slow-growing but conscious infant, then adaptationist natural selection requires that the benefit is primarily to the infant and only secondarily to the adult he will become.
Why are babies born with such large brains and so much intelligence? Why is a baby's intelligence switched on so early? The reason is that infants need such attributes, not because adults will later benefit from them.
The writing is lively and fact-filled, showing Elaine Morgan's characteristic genius for finding original common sense interpretations of the facts of biology, anthropology and sociology. 'The Descent of the Child' also adds another facet to Elaine Morgan's major contribution to science, the aquatic ape theory. I highly recommend it.
By Ms Joy Kay
Amazon Verified Purchase
I chose to follow up this author because I had heard about her from a friend. She is Welsh and now in her 90s and has talked on TED. I am very interested in the question of the Aquatic Ape, which makes a lot of sense to me and so have bought about four of her books. Fascinating. I am interested in any new information as to how we have become who we are as a race.
this one is about how the prebirth and early monthjs of life illustrate this proposal.
this one is about how the prebirth and early monthjs of life illustrate this proposal.
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