Being a self/spouse-diagnosed 🙂 Asperger’s Syndrome individual, and hopefully without giving offense, I would like to put forward the thesis that high functioning autism or Asperger’s syndrome are not necessarily a defect but rather a potentially beneficial diversion from the norm with evolutionary advantage for the group, meant to enhance group survivability. If we do indeed assume, as many evolutionary biologists do, that our current genotype and social structure were mostly developed over eons during the hunter-gatherer stage,, it is possible to hypothesize that diversions from the norm, especially those that manifest in childhood and young adulthood, were beneficial from an evolutionary standpoint. While most neurotypical individuals invest their mental capabilities and energy in advancing themselves in the group hierarchy, the neurodiverse individual whose interests lie outside of the group can attain levels of skill and knowledge that may potentially enhance the survivability of the group. For example, a dedication to memorizing and recognizing patterns in the stars of the sky at night as well as patterns in the changing of the seasons can save the group from physical extinction.