--- product_id: 346225096 title: "Becoming Human: Evolution and Human Uniqueness" price: "₩142552" currency: KRW in_stock: true reviews_count: 5 url: https://www.desertcart.kr/products/346225096-becoming-human-evolution-and-human-uniqueness store_origin: KR region: South Korea --- # Becoming Human: Evolution and Human Uniqueness **Price:** ₩142552 **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** Becoming Human: Evolution and Human Uniqueness - **How much does it cost?** ₩142552 with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.kr](https://www.desertcart.kr/products/346225096-becoming-human-evolution-and-human-uniqueness) ## Best For - Customers looking for quality international products ## Why This Product - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description Buy Becoming Human: Evolution and Human Uniqueness 1 by Tattersall, Ian (ISBN: 9780151003402) from desertcart's Book Store. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Review: In solitary splendour - Coming from a man with Tattersall's qualifications, this book springs real surprises on the reader. Viewing the human evolutionary process in reverse, he begins with Paleolithic age art and retains a strongly European oriented view thoughout the book. Presented an image of "superior" European founders of our cultural heritage, it's almost impossible to shed the WASP image he conjures in the reader. While it's convenient to replace "Homo sapiens" with the [hopefully] less cumbersome "Cro-Magnon", Tattersall leaves us in no doubt that either label remains limited to the European scene. Confirming this narrow view in the first chapter, he offers the astonishing statement that "art, as such, is a concept invented by Western civilization." This proposal might be forgiven as an editing oversight, if the remainder of the book didn't sustain it. Conceding Australian Aborigine art as "curious", he fails to note it predates his beloved French gallery by ten millennia. Coming from a Curator of Anthropology, it's an astonishing submission. Broadening our view, readers are cautioned to spend time on Chapter 3, "Evolution for What?" A review of various renderings of Darwin's evolution by natural selection, the aim of the chapter is to disabuse readers of the idea that evolution has a purpose. However, there's a subtle agenda. Not hidden, subtle. He gives us the background of Darwin's thinking in developing the thesis, following that with 20th Century investigators possessing the tools of genetics. Assembling scholars from the mid-twentieth century, he builds what he labels the "Evolutionary Synthesis" which generally supported the idea of gradual change in species. Based on genetics, the Synthesis challenged patterns exhibited by the fossil record. A new challenge arose, this time against the Synthesis, in the form of the Eldredge-Gould idea of punctuated equilibrium, or "evolution by jerks." Tattersall abandons any remaining objectivity at this point to defend his chum Eldredge against critics. While granting absolution to Eldredge and Gould's "inevitable" overstatement of their case, he condemns George Williams and Richard Dawkins for their focus on genetic adaptation as the centrepiece of evolution's process. Labelling Dawkins a "reductionist" in proposing the gene drives evolution, he claims that such ideas are "always attractive to the human mind". Tattersall contends Dawkins' viewpoint "eliminates anything larger than the individual gene as an actor in the evolutionary process". Like most of Dawkins' critics, Tattersall deftly ignores Dawkins' repeated reminder that "the individual gene" works in concert with its fellows and its host organism within the broader environment. Although an interesting review of the evolutionary scenarios, this chapter is almost a non-sequitur to the remainder of the book. In a bizarre turn for an anthropologist, Tattersall blithely discounts the scope of studies in primate--human behaviour patterns. Having declared art an artefact of Western Civilization, he ignores the many examples of art by animals other than human. Elephants, chimpanzees and others have produced art that fooled even the critics, but Tattersall ignores its existence. Overlooking physical disparities between humans and other primates, he disparages claims that chimpanzees can develop even rudimentary language skills. In short, based on language, art and cognitive abilities, humans are simply too unique to be grouped with our primate cousins. Finally, Tattersall traces the hominid exodus from Africa. A single sentence acknowledges early hominids in eastern Asia. From that he gives extended attention to emigration into Europe. Contending with Neanderthal populations which preceded them, the Cro-Magnon directly overcame Neanderthal. How was this feat accomplished by a creature with a smaller brain than that of its adversary? He gives early hominid tool-makers enhanced cognitive skills instead of learning by sheer opportunism. In line with Eldredge's "evolutionary jerks," this grants these "Cro-Magnon" a sudden intellectual growth spurt leading to tool production, a questionable assumption. Once established, this process increased Homo sapiens' intellect giving them dominance over their larger but "dumber" fellows. Neanderthals at best were imitative, lacking originality and inventiveness. In a novel proposal for establishment of human communities, Tattersall suggests they're based on the human birth canal. Unlike other primates, the canal's position makes births difficult enough to require assistance. Gatherings of midwives led to interdependent communities of individuals. Contributing language skills enlarged the capacity of these communities to form more cohesive establishments - the village. Language is also granted the primary role for Cro-Magnon's elimination of Neanderthal - communication is a key military element. Conquest allowed the leisure for artistic skills to follow. While this book is offers many assertions departing from consensus paleoanthropology, perhaps it's that very aberration that gives it value. While the mainstream path of evolution clearly refutes the idea of punctuated equilibrium, there's no disputing the course of human evolution is abrupt and unique. No other species has achieved the intelligence level of Homo sapiens nor, as Tattersall reminds us, has any species established global occupation. This book is a valuable read for the novelty of many its assertions. It should not, therefore, be read and comprehended in isolation. Other studies on evolution's course and humanity's place on it should join this book on your shelves. Review: An interesting look at mankind's history - This book is an excellent and stimulating introduction to mankind's past. A wide range of subjects are treated, from the origin of consciousness to our mysterious cohabitation with Neanderthals. However, more figures (there are only 2 figures in the whole book) would make reading easier, more enjoyable and more efficient. This is a good, easily read introduction for a non specialized audience. ## Technical Specifications | Specification | Value | |---------------|-------| | Best Sellers Rank | 2,177,722 in Books ( See Top 100 in Books ) 578 in Human Evolution 33,329 in Higher Education of Biological Sciences 179,494 in Social Sciences (Books) | | Customer reviews | 4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars (16) | | Dimensions | 15.88 x 2.54 x 24.13 cm | | Edition | 1st | | ISBN-10 | 0151003408 | | ISBN-13 | 978-0151003402 | | Item weight | 544 g | | Language | English | | Print length | 258 pages | | Publication date | 1 April 1998 | | Publisher | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | ## Images ![Becoming Human: Evolution and Human Uniqueness - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/91ZKm7AOe8L.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ In solitary splendour *by S***S on 7 May 2004* Coming from a man with Tattersall's qualifications, this book springs real surprises on the reader. Viewing the human evolutionary process in reverse, he begins with Paleolithic age art and retains a strongly European oriented view thoughout the book. Presented an image of "superior" European founders of our cultural heritage, it's almost impossible to shed the WASP image he conjures in the reader. While it's convenient to replace "Homo sapiens" with the [hopefully] less cumbersome "Cro-Magnon", Tattersall leaves us in no doubt that either label remains limited to the European scene. Confirming this narrow view in the first chapter, he offers the astonishing statement that "art, as such, is a concept invented by Western civilization." This proposal might be forgiven as an editing oversight, if the remainder of the book didn't sustain it. Conceding Australian Aborigine art as "curious", he fails to note it predates his beloved French gallery by ten millennia. Coming from a Curator of Anthropology, it's an astonishing submission. Broadening our view, readers are cautioned to spend time on Chapter 3, "Evolution for What?" A review of various renderings of Darwin's evolution by natural selection, the aim of the chapter is to disabuse readers of the idea that evolution has a purpose. However, there's a subtle agenda. Not hidden, subtle. He gives us the background of Darwin's thinking in developing the thesis, following that with 20th Century investigators possessing the tools of genetics. Assembling scholars from the mid-twentieth century, he builds what he labels the "Evolutionary Synthesis" which generally supported the idea of gradual change in species. Based on genetics, the Synthesis challenged patterns exhibited by the fossil record. A new challenge arose, this time against the Synthesis, in the form of the Eldredge-Gould idea of punctuated equilibrium, or "evolution by jerks." Tattersall abandons any remaining objectivity at this point to defend his chum Eldredge against critics. While granting absolution to Eldredge and Gould's "inevitable" overstatement of their case, he condemns George Williams and Richard Dawkins for their focus on genetic adaptation as the centrepiece of evolution's process. Labelling Dawkins a "reductionist" in proposing the gene drives evolution, he claims that such ideas are "always attractive to the human mind". Tattersall contends Dawkins' viewpoint "eliminates anything larger than the individual gene as an actor in the evolutionary process". Like most of Dawkins' critics, Tattersall deftly ignores Dawkins' repeated reminder that "the individual gene" works in concert with its fellows and its host organism within the broader environment. Although an interesting review of the evolutionary scenarios, this chapter is almost a non-sequitur to the remainder of the book. In a bizarre turn for an anthropologist, Tattersall blithely discounts the scope of studies in primate--human behaviour patterns. Having declared art an artefact of Western Civilization, he ignores the many examples of art by animals other than human. Elephants, chimpanzees and others have produced art that fooled even the critics, but Tattersall ignores its existence. Overlooking physical disparities between humans and other primates, he disparages claims that chimpanzees can develop even rudimentary language skills. In short, based on language, art and cognitive abilities, humans are simply too unique to be grouped with our primate cousins. Finally, Tattersall traces the hominid exodus from Africa. A single sentence acknowledges early hominids in eastern Asia. From that he gives extended attention to emigration into Europe. Contending with Neanderthal populations which preceded them, the Cro-Magnon directly overcame Neanderthal. How was this feat accomplished by a creature with a smaller brain than that of its adversary? He gives early hominid tool-makers enhanced cognitive skills instead of learning by sheer opportunism. In line with Eldredge's "evolutionary jerks," this grants these "Cro-Magnon" a sudden intellectual growth spurt leading to tool production, a questionable assumption. Once established, this process increased Homo sapiens' intellect giving them dominance over their larger but "dumber" fellows. Neanderthals at best were imitative, lacking originality and inventiveness. In a novel proposal for establishment of human communities, Tattersall suggests they're based on the human birth canal. Unlike other primates, the canal's position makes births difficult enough to require assistance. Gatherings of midwives led to interdependent communities of individuals. Contributing language skills enlarged the capacity of these communities to form more cohesive establishments - the village. Language is also granted the primary role for Cro-Magnon's elimination of Neanderthal - communication is a key military element. Conquest allowed the leisure for artistic skills to follow. While this book is offers many assertions departing from consensus paleoanthropology, perhaps it's that very aberration that gives it value. While the mainstream path of evolution clearly refutes the idea of punctuated equilibrium, there's no disputing the course of human evolution is abrupt and unique. No other species has achieved the intelligence level of Homo sapiens nor, as Tattersall reminds us, has any species established global occupation. This book is a valuable read for the novelty of many its assertions. It should not, therefore, be read and comprehended in isolation. Other studies on evolution's course and humanity's place on it should join this book on your shelves. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ An interesting look at mankind's history *by V***R on 8 August 2001* This book is an excellent and stimulating introduction to mankind's past. A wide range of subjects are treated, from the origin of consciousness to our mysterious cohabitation with Neanderthals. However, more figures (there are only 2 figures in the whole book) would make reading easier, more enjoyable and more efficient. This is a good, easily read introduction for a non specialized audience. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Review *by M***R on 12 November 2025* To describe as magnificent this short treatise on (a) the evolution of our species and (b) the search for the spark that makes us human doesn’t begin to do justice to this book. Its value lies not in its content per se, but in the sum of its parts, infinitely more valuable than any one of them on their own. Ian Tattersall touches on so many topics that any one of them could easily be expanded into a book longer than this and still make for delightful reading. Granted, some of the content is outdated in a book written in the last years of the 20th century. That’s especially true in a field in which every discovery claims to rewrite human evolution on an almost daily basis. Tattersall’s strong viewpoints on a number of topics diverge from the consensus in the field. Depending on where you come from, you may find them refreshingly provocative or politically incorrect, daring or too far out of the mainstream. My own agreement or disagreement with the author ebbed and flowed over the course of his narrative. Some topics are mentioned so briefly in passing that they might have been better off left out (such as a split-second reference to free will). Genetics contributions to the field are missing for the most part, while the contribution of genes to our very humanity are strongly and repeatedly minimized. And the fascinating discussion of episodic vs gradual nature of human evolution is enlightening if controversial. So this is not a book for all. But I bet that even the book’s detractors are given a healthy serving of food for thought. When all is said and done, I can say that seldom, if ever, have I read a book that is so infinitely more than the sum of its parts. The way Tattersall seamlessly weaves topics as different as human origins, evolution of life, development of the human brain, biology, philosophy, psychology, language, history, climate change, religion, our place in nature, comparison with our closest relatives, the great apes, and — above all — the search for that eternally elusive spark that made us human and which separates us not only from the great apes, but from every one of the millions of species spanning three billion years of evolution of life on Earth. For all that and much more, I wholeheartedly give it 5 stars, with no hesitation and utmost enthusiasm. As far as I’m concerned, Becoming Human is almost unprecedented in its breadth of fields of study covered, in the power of its narrative, and unique — even if provocative — perspectives, all passionately laid out for us by the author, even as he must have known they’d be rejected by many of his peers. That makes it admirable in my book. Or his. To be sure, I’m not a professional in any of the fields named above, so my ability to judge the content from a strict scientific perspective is limited to none. My background is in liberal arts, not science. But since my college days, when I had the great fortune of being taught Anthropology 1 by the great paleoanthropologist Tim White, I have been in love with the subject at hand. So I’m an outsider looking in, but with enough background acquired over the years to consider myself more than a dispassionate observer. This book could have benefitted greatly from photos and charts, especially color plates of the cave art Tattersall describes with such sensitivity and passion. No doubt that omission was needed to keep costs down. I think the benefit of such visuals may have outweighed financial considerations, but it’s not for me to judge. Maybe in a future, updated edition? (Not likely after 27 years, but I can but dream.) My one big criticism of the book has to do with the author’s outright dismissal of Neanderthals as mere automatons who lacked artistic sensibility, language and symbolic thinking, the latter two which Tattersall so well describes as fundamental to our species. In other words, he excludes Neanderthals from our human family. Given that this book was written without the benefit of nearly three decades of almost daily discoveries in the field, his logic is understandable. Least of all could he have known of the bombshell discovery back in 2010 that each of us of non-African ancestry carry 2 to 3% Neanderthal genes. The very fact that Neanderthals and humans regularly made babies together tells you that our ancestors recognized Neanderthals as human. What’s more, Neanderthals had skills (such as the production of glue to haft stone weapons to wooden handles) that I believe would have been impossible to achieve without high cognitive skills and at least some linguistic ability — if nothing else, to pass the knowledge to the next generation. Tattersall’s lack of knowledge of these discoveries is understandable. His certainty about knowing what he didn’t know bothers me a little. But even that’s ultimately a small part of what’s otherwise a great overview of expansive topics braided together in an almost novel-like narrative about our Becoming Human. I read the last third of the book in one sitting late last night, unable to put it down and go to bed till near-morning. It was suspenseful, enthralling, riveting read. I don’t agree with every word. I want to go on and read more about some of the topics touched on here to make up my own mind. Ultimately, I learned much and thought even more, until it felt like my brain hurt. Good hurt. ## Frequently Bought Together - Becoming Human: Evolution and Human Uniqueness - Understanding Human Evolution (Understanding Life) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.kr/products/346225096-becoming-human-evolution-and-human-uniqueness](https://www.desertcart.kr/products/346225096-becoming-human-evolution-and-human-uniqueness) --- *Product available on Desertcart South Korea* *Store origin: KR* *Last updated: 2026-05-23*