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What the Book Explores

In The Art Instinct, Denis Dutton presents a compelling argument for the biological foundations of aesthetics. He challenges the long-held sociological assumption that art and beauty are purely cultural constructs—relative to specific times and places with no underlying universal essence. Instead, Dutton posits that our aesthetic preferences are evolutionary adaptations, hardwired into the human brain over millennia of natural selection. By examining how our ancestors lived on the Pleistocene savannas, he explores why certain patterns, landscapes, and even storytelling structures consistently evoke pleasure across vastly different human societies.

Central to the work is the “Savannah Hypothesis,” which suggests that human beings possess an innate preference for landscapes that resemble the environments where our species evolved. Dutton cites various cross-cultural studies, most notably the work of artists Komar and Melamid, who discovered that people from disparate cultures—ranging from New York to Kenya—shared a preference for paintings featuring open spaces, water, greenery, and large mammals. This preference, Dutton argues, is an ancient survival mechanism; such landscapes once signaled safety, resources, and clarity of vision, and today they remain the template for what we consider a “beautiful” view.

The 12 Criteria of Art

Dutton does not merely focus on landscape; he attempts to define the “art instinct” through a cluster of twelve traits that appear across almost all human cultures. These include:

• Expertise or Virtuosity: The display of high-level skill, which Dutton identifies as a fundamental source of aesthetic pleasure. We admire the difficulty overcome by the creator.
• Non-functional Pleasure: The enjoyment of an object or experience for its own sake, rather than for its practical utility.
• Style: The adherence to rules of composition or performance that allow for recognition within a tradition.
• Novelty and Creativity: The capacity to surprise and push the boundaries of an established style.
• Criticism: The existence of judgment, evaluation, and appreciation within a community.
• Representation: The use of art to stand for or simulate experiences, objects, or emotions.
• Special Focus: The practice of setting art apart from ordinary life, often through ritual or dedicated spaces.
• Expressive Individuality: The presence of a personal voice or unique signature in the work.
• Emotional Saturation: The ability of art to elicit deep emotional responses.
• Intellectual Challenge: The use of complexity to engage the viewer’s cognitive faculties.
• Art Traditions and Institutions: The framework of history and social context that gives art its meaning.
• Imaginative Experience: The creation of a “virtual” world where the audience can explore scenarios without physical risk.

Through these criteria, Dutton illustrates that art is a complex human performance, deeply tied to our cognitive architecture and social hierarchies.

Historical and Cultural Context

Published in 2009, The Art Instinct emerged during a period of significant tension between the humanities and the biological sciences. For much of the 20th century, the “Standard Social Science Model” argued that humans were born as “blank slates,” with culture being the primary author of human behavior and taste. Dutton, a philosopher of art and founder of the influential website Arts & Letters Daily, sought to bridge this gap by applying the principles of evolutionary psychology to the field of aesthetics.

His work was influenced by figures like E.O. Wilson, Steven Pinker, and Geoffrey Miller. Miller’s theory of sexual selection, in particular, plays a significant role in Dutton’s analysis. The idea is that art functions similarly to a peacock’s tail—a “fitness signal” that demonstrates an individual’s cognitive health, physical dexterity, and access to resources. This perspective shifted the conversation from “what does art mean?” to “what does art do for the human species?” It repositioned the artist not just as a cultural figure, but as a biological agent engaged in a high-stakes display of human capability.

Who This Book Is For

This work is suited for readers who are interested in the intersection of science and culture. It appeals to those with a background in art history or philosophy who wish to see their field through a Darwinian lens, as well as students of psychology and anthropology who are exploring the origins of human behavior. Dutton’s prose is accessible and avoids overly dense jargon, making it readable for a general audience curious about why they find certain things beautiful while others leave them cold.

It is particularly relevant for those exploring the psychological underpinnings of symbolism and narrative, as it provides a framework for understanding why certain motifs—such as the hero’s journey or the depiction of predators—remain powerful across generations and geographies. By grounding culture in biology, Dutton offers a way to talk about universal human values without ignoring the rich diversity of individual cultural expressions.

Further Reading

To deepen the exploration of these themes, readers may consider the following works:

• Homo Aestheticus (1992) by Ellen Dissanayake: An earlier and influential exploration of the evolutionary necessity of art, focusing on “making special” as a core human behavior.
• The Mating Mind (2000) by Geoffrey Miller: A detailed look at how sexual selection shaped the human mind, including our capacity for language, humor, and art.
• The Blank Slate (2002) by Steven Pinker: While broader in scope, this work provides the intellectual context for the “nature vs. nurture” debate that Dutton engages with.
• The Sense of Beauty (1896) by George Santayana: A classic philosophical text that, while pre-dating modern genetics, anticipates many of the naturalistic themes found in Dutton’s work.

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