#1

‍In the introduction, Lieberman talks about how multiple features/functions of our body were once adaptive (purposeful) in the environment in which they evolved, but became maladaptive in today's modern environment.

In this context, as you read the first chapters, you learn about the changes in the environment that prompted the initial adaptations of our ancient ancestors. Which of those "inherited" adaptations do you consider to be disadvantageous today?

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‍#2‍

The world around us usually seems so natural and normal to us that it is tempting and sometimes reassuring to assume that everything we perceive has a purpose and was created according to a well-thought-out plan. After going through the first chapters, we have knowledge of the amount of climatic and geographical changes and evolutionary pressures that have shaped our evolutionary destiny. Thanks to them, our origin (i.e. homo sapiens) appears more than a series of random turns of events than a necessity. Have you always seen the advent of humans as an intelligent / abstract-minded species on our planet as something that must have necessarily occurred in terms of evolutionary progress? Or you have been always been convinced that we are the result of many random events?

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‍#3

Whatever the cause, it appears that the upright position/standing and walking on two legs was a spark that ignited further advancements in human evolution. Why was bipedalism so important to what followed in human evolution? What makes it such a crucial adaptation?

In addition to us, homo sapiens, we also know other bipedal animal species. Why do you think they have not made the same progress (evolutionary speaking) in terms of cognitive abilities - i.e. abstraction thinking, precise and purposeful manipulation of their environment, as we see in our species?

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#4

In evolutionary adaptations, it is important to understand that evolution works with already existing elements that adapt/shape according to the demands of the environment but are rarely re-created from scratch. Our feet can serve as an example. Their original function was to help us to move efficiently on trees (utilizing grasping), and only later evolutionary pressure adapted them to bipedal gait. Therefore, even though our feet are now well adapted for walking and running, they are far from optimal design.

What other sub-optimal designs concerning their function do you observe on your body?

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‍#5

Through the first part of the book, Lieberman explained several adaptations that favored our ancestors over the competition. However, there is always a trade-off. If a particular adaptation allowed you to do something and gave you a competitive advantage, it also prevented you from doing something else at the same time.
And since environmental conditions are constantly changing, so do the relative advantages and disadvantages of adaptations, depending on the current demands of the environment and its context. One of the consequences of these and other trade-offs is that natural selection seldom, if at all, achieves perfection because the environment is constantly changing. The adaptations of each individual are thus an imperfect product of an endless series of ever-changing compromises. Natural selection constantly moves organisms to optimal settings, but optimization is almost always impossible to achieve.

In this light, what part or function of our body could benefit from a "finishing touch" concerning our daily lives?

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#1

As a result of the agricultural and industrial revolution, there have been two fundamental changes in our functioning -

• We have considerably traded quantity for quality and diversity.
• We have exchanged our versatility for specialization.

Try to think about concrete examples of these "exchanges" and their physical and mental consequences - both for humanity in general and you individually.

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‍#2

Lieberman writes about the so-called "mismatch diseases" that resulted from the mismatch between our evolutionary setting and the modern environment. He mentions type II diabetes, prostate and breast cancer, atherosclerosis - which occurrence is related to the changes in the way of our modern life – how we eat, how much time we spend physically active, how we sleep, our reproductive behavior, etc.

In the context of “mismatch diseases”, to what extent is an individual responsible for his or her condition? And to what extent we can find responsible the environment, created by our culture and in which that person has been embedded?

Does a person who is evolutionarily set up for an environment, where energy was a scarce resource and difficult to get, have the ability to make the right decisions without outside interference (restrictions, education, etc.)?

If avoiding pointless physical activity and consuming as many calories as possible is our primary setting, what steps do we need to take to avoid the undesirable consequences of this behavior?

#1

Lieberman describes the diseases we fight as a combination of gene-environment interactions. As a regular modification of our genes is unlikely in the foreseeable future, the only way is to change the environment in which we live. Although systemic changes at the state / city level are difficult to implement in practice, we can all change our own individual environment. Based on the findings of the book, what specific changes can you make within your environment (whether it's the physical environment of your home, your office, or your behavior and habits…) that are consistent with your long-term physical and mental health?

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‍#2

“Knowledge is power. People, therefore, need and deserve useful, credible information about how their bodies work, and they require the right tools to achieve their goals.”

What is your opinion on this Lieberman statement? Do you think that education in this subject and understanding the various relationships of our genes-environment interactions lead to better choices? Try to write your own individual experience, as well as your observations of our society.

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‍#3

As humans, we tend to accept the world we live in as natural and normal. We are psychologically set up to get used to new and unhealthy behaviors and aspects of our environment if they form our common everyday reality.

Try to think about your daily activities and the tools you use every day – can you find among them those that you consider normal, but from an evolutionary perspective, they appear to be harmful to our health?

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‍#4

Throughout the whole book, did you agree with all of the author's viewpoints and claims? Try to think critically about the contentious passages from the book and find three points where you disagree with the author. State the reasons why you have a different opinion from the author on these points, as well as where the information on which you based your disagreement is coming from.

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‍#5

Think about and choose 3 to 5 key ideas that you have taken from this book.

- a technique derived from Richard Feynman, who excelled in his ability to synthesize and explain even complex scientific concepts. By using this technique right after you have finished the book, you will further enhance your understanding of the book's subject, identify the possible gaps in your knowledge and master the ability to clearly communicate the newly acquired information.

It consists of the following steps:

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01. Teach it to a child

Take out a blank sheet of paper and write the central concept of the book you have just finished in the top corner. Underneath, write down everything you know about this concept, without revisiting your notes or the book. The trick is, however, that you have to write in style, as if you wanted to teach a given concept to a 12-year-old child. Unlike your intelligent adult friends, 12-year-olds do not have scientific / technical terminology and specific jargon. Plus, they do not hold attention for too long. Therefore, you need to be clear and concise, and use language, which vocabulary can be easily understood by a child, so it can grasp the basic ideas and relationships.

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02. Identify your knowledge gaps

As you write, you will get to points where you will not be able to explain something in simple words, you will not be able to recall some key information, or you will have trouble tying the individual parts together to make clear connection.

In other words, you will encounter gaps in your knowledge... and that is the point, where you are really starting to learn!

Now that you know where you got stuck, go back and re-read particular passages in the book, review your own notes, or look for other source materials that address this concept. This process is necessary for you to fill in all the cracks that emerged from the previous step, and skipping it leads to the illusion of your knowledge.

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03. Organize, simplify and tell a story

At this point, you have a set of manually created notes in front of you. Go through them and create one continuous story, which will contain the key terms, relationships, and ideas of the concept you have just studied.

Practice reading the created story aloud. Pretend you're telling a story to a class of younger students. This way you will hear where your speech ceases to be simple and concise - avoid jargon and complicated sentences. Stumbles in the speech will again indicate to you the incompleteness of your thoughts. Practice until you are satisfied with the simplicity, straightforwardness, and fluency of your presentation. Ideally, invite live listeners who will give you feedback.