The evolution of human intelligence

Many species engage in acts that could be called creative (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2004).
However, human creativity is unique in that it has completely transformed the planet we
live on. We build skyscrapers, play breathtaking cello sonatas, send ourselves into space,
and even decode our own DNA. Given that the anatomy of the human brain is not so
different from that of the great apes, what enables us to be so creative? Recent
collaborations at the frontier of anthropology, archaeology, psychology, and cognitive
science are culminating in speculative but increasingly sophisticated efforts to piece
together the answer to this question. Examining the skeletons of our ancestors gives cues
as to anatomical constraints that hindered or made possible various kinds of creative
expression. Relics of the past have much to tell us about the thoughts, beliefs, and
creative abilities of the people who invented and used them. How the spectacular
creativity of humans came about is the first topic addressed in this chapter.
Studies at the intersection of creativity and evolution are not limited to
investigations into the biological evolution of a highly creative species. Creative ideas
themselves might be said to evolve through culture. Human creativity is distinctive
because of the adaptive and open-ended manner in which change accumulates. Inventions
build on previous ones in ways that enhance their utility or aesthetic appeal, or make
them applicable in different situations. There is no a priori limit to how a creative idea
might unfold over time. A cartoon character can inspire the name and logo for a hockey
team (the Mighty Ducks), which might in turn inspire toys, cereal shapes, cigarette lighter
designs, or for that matter work its way into an academic book chapter. It is this
proclivity to take an idea and make it our own, or 'put our own spin on it', that makes
creative ideas appear to evolve. The next section of this chapter investigates in what
sense creative ideas evolve through culture.
Finally, we address the question of why creativity evolved. What forces supported
the evolution of creativity? Does being creative help us live longer, or attract mates?
Perhaps creative projects can sometimes interfere with survival and reproductive fitness;
are there non-biological factors that compel us to create? This is a third topic addressed in
this chapter.