This article isn't about intelligence, its about innovation. He's talking specifically about the "lightbulb moment" - the inspriation part of invention. I don't think there is anything at all original about the article except the tortured analogy to evolution.
http://edge.org/conversation/infinite-stupidity-edge-conversation-with-mark-pagel
Random change, then a selection, says Mark Pagel. As I agree, here's the link.