Here’s the quick argument for art as an adaptation. First, it’s a human universal: every culture makes and enjoys art.12 Second, art is costly: it takes a lot of time and energy to make.13 But nature aggressively weeds out costly behaviors unless they somehow pay for themselves by providing survival or reproductive advantages. In other words, if a costly behavior is universal, it typically indicates positive selection pressure.14 Finally, art is old enough, in evolutionary terms, for selection to have had plenty of time to work its magic.15
