In this thought-provoking essay, Héctor explores one of the great paradoxes of the human mind: the very mechanisms that once guaranteed our ancestors’ survival can today limit our creativity and personal growth. Drawing from evolutionary psychology and neuroscience, the book reveals how the brain often prioritises caution and routine over innovation —and how recognising these biases can help us unlock our true potential.

Although we now live in relatively safe and predictable environments, our brains remain wired by millions of years of evolution in contexts full of threats. This evolutionary “mismatch” explains why our minds still tend to favour conformity, even when risk-taking and creativity might be more adaptive. Through a combination of scientific insights and engaging narrative, the book provides tools to detect these hidden traps and strategies to foster reinvention and innovation.

About the author

Héctor Marín Manrique (Vila-real, 1976) holds a PhD in Psychology and has carried out research at the Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology in Leipzig. He has taught at the Universitat de les Illes Balears and is currently Chair of Evolutionary Psychology at the University of Zaragoza and visiting professor at the Department of Psychology, Universitat de Girona. His academic work has appeared in prestigious journals such as Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews and Physics of Life Reviews. He has also collaborated with the BBC and been cited in The New Yorker. His previous books include Early Evolution of Human Memory (Palgrave MacMillan, 2017).

Publication details

• Title: El cerebro… ¿tu peor enemigo?

• Publisher: Editorial Adarve

• ISBN: 979-13-87909-06-2

• Pages: 216

• Price: €18.50

• Publication date: 30 September 2025