The New York Times bestselling author Matt Ridley, of The Rational Optimist and Genome returns with a fascinating argument for evolution that challenges the idea that advances are made from the top down.
In his new book, The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge, Ridley, an evolutionary biologist, says that when a line of cyclists picks up a headwind, no one directs each rider to move into the slipstream. Skeins of geese form Vs in the sky without meaning to; termites build cathedrals without architects, and bees make honeycombs without instruction.
In fact, he says all great ideas and inventions pop up in more than one location at roughly the same time. Once the ground work has been completed, no Invention Leader is needed to say: Now invent a the telephone.
Wall Street Journal Reviewer Michael Shermer points out that Ridley says when we think, "someone should do something about X, we think of a government agent, religious leader, company CEO or a governing board. He insists that it's parishioners, employees and members who bring about the most change."
In making his bottom-up argument, Ridley says that scientific evidence shows that smarter, more creative, happier, and worthy people are not created by villages, social engineering, better schools, or more facilities. In fact, these qualities appear to be innate.
The Evolution of Everything: How New Ideas Emerge by Matt Ridley, Harper, 360 pages, $28.99 at bookstores.
