The Red Queen
Ridley then argues that human intelligence is largely a result of sexual selection. He argues that human intelligence far outstrips any need for survival (this is not generally agreed). He says our intelligence is like the peacock's tail, a product of sexual selection. Human intelligence, he suggests, is used primarily to attract mates through prodigious displays of wit, charm, inventiveness, and individuality. This view of intelligence is also supported by Geoffrey Miller. The history of ideas on sexual selection and the evolution of sex is discussed by Helena Cronin.