Can parts of the mind become atrophied through misuse? Charles Darwin seemed to think it possible, and that it had happened to him. He felt certain that the remedy was to engage the affected parts of the brain in culturally stimulating activities. There has been much speculation that mental illness may have been the culprit. However Darwin, known for speaking his mind only after lengthy reflection, persuades us that he was not speculating wildly. Progress traps appear to follow the same pattern - specialization followed by atrophy. But let Darwin's words express the conundrum:

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