Why does schizophrenia persist in the population when it should have bred
itself out generations ago? Some believe it adds to the gene pool a capacity for
leaps of thought, giving rise to our greatest and most dangerous thinkers. In
Prophets, Cults and Madness, evolutionary psychiatrists Anthony Stevens
and John Price argue that cult leaders from Abraham to David Koresh show
schizotypal traits causing them to form splinter groups, thus driving the
evolution of society. Published by Duckworth, £18, ISBN 0715629409.
To continue reading, today with our introductory offers
Advertisement
More from New ÒÁÈ˾þÃ
Explore the latest news, articles and features
Popular articles
Trending New ÒÁÈ˾þà articles
1
Our verdict on The Selfish Gene: An unpopular piece of popular science
2
Where, when and how to watch the 2026 solar eclipse
3
If you aren't terrified by this heatwave, you should be
4
How menopause radically changes the brain – and what happens after
5
Woman with Alzheimer's starts conversing again after taking psilocybin
6
Fully autonomous drones have killed human soldiers for the first time
7
We’ve uncovered a master gene that switches on human development
8
Europe’s heatwave is the hottest and most humid ever
9
Ancient human DNA found on cave art for the first time
10
The best sci-fi novel in 2026 so far – plus 6 other great reads
