Baron-Cohen is at his most striking when he writes about people with autism, like Jonah, who was slow to talk but who taught himself to read.

Despite the best of intentions, it too often feels half-baked, like a pastiche of ideas from other books.

...his certainty seems misplaced. It may indeed be that 70,000 years ago in Africa a naked ape evolved the ability to systemise and so conquered the world. Might it also be, though, that 70,000 years ago our ancestors also evolved grammatical language, meaning that at last the best inventors were able to pass their inventions on? It’s at least possible. Baron-Cohen has a habit of making assertions of fact that I’m not sure have reached that standard of evidence yet..

... he unpicks the instincts and processes that have driven human progress. His conclusion? The great engine of our advancement as a species has been autistic behaviour.

A thoughtful argument that creativity shares many of the same traits as autism.

Baron-Cohen isn’t always convincing that human cognition is innately different from that of other highly intelligent animals, such as crows, elephants, and other primates, which, as he acknowledges, also evince theory of mind, as well as problem-solving and tool-using skills. Nonetheless, his work buttresses the case that aspects of autism can be positive, and that thoughtful guidance can channel some with that diagnosis into productive and meaningful work. Readers interested in accessible and innovative looks at the human mind, such as those of Yuval Noah Harari, will be fascinated..