The Pattern Seekers: A New Theory of Human Invention

'Celebrates human cognitive diversity, and is rich with empathy and psychological insight' Steven Pinker

'Bold, intriguing, profound' Jay Elwes, Spectator

Why can humans alone invent? In this book, psychologist and world renowned autism expert Simon Baron-Cohen puts forward a bold new theory: because we can identify patterns, specifically if-and-then patterns. Baron-Cohen argues that the genes for this unique ability overlap with the genes for autism and have driven human progress for 70,000 years.

From the first musical instruments to the agricultural, industrial, and digital revolutions, Pattern Seekers links one of our greatest human strengths with a condition that is so often misunderstood and challenges us to think differently about those who think differently.