The Origin of Minds: Evolution, Uniqueness, and the New Science of the Self

The Origin of Minds is a landmark book that presents for the first time a provocative model of the principles guiding the evolution of all life intelligence systems, from plants to bacteria to the human mind itself.

In contrast to the static model suggested by evolutionary psychologists, The Origin of Minds describes a mind that is dynamic and ever-changing, redesigning itself with each life experience. Authors Peggy La Cerra and Roger Bingham explain how individuals are made and describe the mechanism that gives rise to six billion unique human minds. They explain how (and why) we construct our various selves and personalities; shed light on the day-to-day differences we see in our children as they navigate the complex dynamics of family and move into the world at large; and offer a new, more hopeful interpretation of depression, mania, and the so-called personality disorders. Thoughtful and illuminating, The Origin of Minds presents a groundbreaking scientific model of the self, taking you on a journey from the laws of the universe to the creation of your own unique mind.

Peggy La Cerra developed the scientific models of the mind and life intelligence systems presented in The Origin of Minds after completing an award-winning dissertation in evolutionary psychology and a McDonnell Foundation research fellowship in cognitive neuroscience. She currently serves as the director of the Center for Evolutionary Neuroscience and is the president of Mind-Works, a scientific consulting firm based in Ojai, California.

Roger Bingham is a member of the research faculty at the Center for Brain and Cognition at the University of California, San Diego, focusing on theoretical evolutionary neuroscience. He coauthored (with Peggy La Cerra) the paper in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that forms the blueprint for this new evolutionary model of the mind. Previously, he was a visiting associate in biology at the California Institute of Technology and the creator and host of award-winning PBS science programs on evolutionary psychology and cognitive neuroscience.