Pattern Seekers: How Autism Promotes Human Ingenuity

In this book, Simon Baron-Cohen, one of the world's leading scholars writing about autism, offers the reader an unexpected and bold perspective on the characteristics of autistic individuals and their role in human civilization. Baron-Cohen explores how persistent experimentation with... patterns and sequences, whether in music, visual arts, mathematics, engineering, cooking, or observing ocean waves, has led to new inventions and discoveries. From the time our ancestors began to create the first tools to today's digital revolution, it is the «pattern seekers» to whom we owe progress, the author believes. However, for the carriers of the autism genes, their abilities often turn into various problems—from social to medical. Rethinking the approach to autism, the author urges society to see it as a rare opportunity that should be valued and welcomed, respecting those who think differently than others.