He was born and grew up in Oslo, Norway, but spent a year as a high-school exchange student at Michigan, USA, in 1969.

For the later part of his career, the focus has been on understanding how evolution has shaped the human brain with particular reference to what consciousness is and why it serves us positive and negative experiences.

The approach is based on the idea that natural selection has shaped the human brain; consequently, our evolutionary history has an impact on feelings and behavior.

Our brain evolved to serve hunting and gathering behavior in tribal (Stone Age) groups, it is therefore not optimal for the present way of living.

[2] Fortunately, humans have the most adaptive and moldable brain of any species, the aim of society should therefore be to create an environment that makes the most of our inherent qualities nature.