Crosswords9 mins ago
End of the line?
Do you think we are the end product of human evolution, have we stopped evolving because we have adapted to our environment and will only change when we have to adapt to a new and probably more hostile environment?
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claymore, there is no way to answer this question (sensibly and unreligiously, I mean) because evolution is a totally random mechanism. What mutations might or might not take place, and which of those will be naturally selected, is absolutely unpredictable.
Where humans differ is that they have more control over their environment and they also have a social sense. This means that they are not wholly susceptible to environmental changes which would otherwise decide what mutations would be viable and which not. Nor do we allow people with defects (genetic mutations) which, in the rest of the animal world would cause that strain to die out, to become prey to those defects.
My own guess is that long before any significant evolutionary change is seen in homo sapiens the species will become extinct, as 99% of species have done.
Where humans differ is that they have more control over their environment and they also have a social sense. This means that they are not wholly susceptible to environmental changes which would otherwise decide what mutations would be viable and which not. Nor do we allow people with defects (genetic mutations) which, in the rest of the animal world would cause that strain to die out, to become prey to those defects.
My own guess is that long before any significant evolutionary change is seen in homo sapiens the species will become extinct, as 99% of species have done.
I think we have halted evolution in the conventional sense because genetic defects survive to reproduce. For example in the rest of the animal kingdom an animal with dodgy eyesight would get eaten and that gene would then not get a chance to be passed on in reproduction. However it could be argued that mankind by intelligence has acheived a sort of "Evolution overdrive" where physical fitness and health are not necessary to progress. Where intellect can provide the necessary technology to "Evolve" continuiously toward a better and better existance. We are indeed early in this process but I think at some point we will arrive at all the things we dream about, world peace etc etc!
evolution is not completely random.
genetic mutations are random.
natural selection is not.
a strong lion's genes will thrive more than those of a weak one, because nature is hard and if you are stronger you will be around longer to breed and to care for your offspring---================NOT random.
If 2 humans have sex, there is a genetic mutation, however small. Novel genes enter the genepool thus.
Natural selection, the nonrandom bit, is now much weaker, cos:
we have HEALTHCARE. Survival of the fittest? No. Survival of who happened to be born into a civilised nation with hopefully free healthcare, drugs, etc.
Our culture (once just for designing spears etc) has spiralled out of control, has taken on a mind of its own, and occupies a much larger role in sexual selection and our general thinking. Sexual selection as you are born with, is not fit for purpose. In general, the human mind is not perfect for purpose. It was REALLY good for 20K years ago, each new human is still born thinking they are coming out of the womb into that type of environment, they are obviously not.
We will not go through a new period of evolution, because basically we can survive in the environment we are in, and if a radically new environment emerged, the adaptation would be by technological means, not natural selection.
Humans really are UNIQUE.
genetic mutations are random.
natural selection is not.
a strong lion's genes will thrive more than those of a weak one, because nature is hard and if you are stronger you will be around longer to breed and to care for your offspring---================NOT random.
If 2 humans have sex, there is a genetic mutation, however small. Novel genes enter the genepool thus.
Natural selection, the nonrandom bit, is now much weaker, cos:
we have HEALTHCARE. Survival of the fittest? No. Survival of who happened to be born into a civilised nation with hopefully free healthcare, drugs, etc.
Our culture (once just for designing spears etc) has spiralled out of control, has taken on a mind of its own, and occupies a much larger role in sexual selection and our general thinking. Sexual selection as you are born with, is not fit for purpose. In general, the human mind is not perfect for purpose. It was REALLY good for 20K years ago, each new human is still born thinking they are coming out of the womb into that type of environment, they are obviously not.
We will not go through a new period of evolution, because basically we can survive in the environment we are in, and if a radically new environment emerged, the adaptation would be by technological means, not natural selection.
Humans really are UNIQUE.
meredith 101, you have said what I said only in more detail. It should have been obvious that I know that natural selection decides which of the random mutations will be viable. The point is that nobody can predict what evolution will do because the first stage - mutation- is random. A species might stay the same for a million years, either because there are no random mutations or because those that occur are not naturally selected, or it might change significantly by reason of large number of random mutations many of which are naturally selected.
Therefore it is fruitless, a total waste of time, to try to predict what will happen to any species.
Therefore it is fruitless, a total waste of time, to try to predict what will happen to any species.
The genetic code with billions of letters for humans has processes to check and correct for errors otherwise in a short space of time we could become another species. Viruses like flu or HIV are permanently mutating with few checks. However influences such as radiation or even old age have the ability to delete parts of our genetic code which sometimes results in cancers.
Evolution does not occur only because of need it also oocurs because of mutation.
eg, There was no need for humans (by default dark) who migrated from Africa(the cradle of humans) to the cold north to undergo mutation and turn fair other than the seemingly trivial reason that fair skinned people need less exposure to sun each day to prepare vitamin D than the dark skinned.
eg, There was no need for humans (by default dark) who migrated from Africa(the cradle of humans) to the cold north to undergo mutation and turn fair other than the seemingly trivial reason that fair skinned people need less exposure to sun each day to prepare vitamin D than the dark skinned.
Hey due to the advancements in the gentic engineering we may artificially mutate ourselves into an advanced species!
All parents would like their babies to be perfect. That will be possible over time.We may also attach artificial devices to enhance our abilities. Such beings by defnition would be a new species.
All parents would like their babies to be perfect. That will be possible over time.We may also attach artificial devices to enhance our abilities. Such beings by defnition would be a new species.
If you consider the damage we have done to the planet in the last 50 years, and the population doubled over the same period. It doesn't take a genius to work out that this will double again in another 25 years, then 12 years etc. and some drastic action has to be taken well within the next 50 years or the insects will rule the Earth once again.
Oddly, we decry China for their one-child policy but surely that would have to be adopted worldwide very soon.
Seeing at least a third of the world's people live in poverty and they breed a lot faster than the more effluent society, most of us will see the point where poverty exceeds the effluent and awful thoughts of a super-AIDS, black plague, or some terrible new disease is not unreal.
Unless some drastic international agreement can be reached, I fear that in the next 100 years we will have a catastrophic period where much of the world's population will perish and maybe a nominal group will survive to start the cycle all over again. I hope I am wrong.
Oddly, we decry China for their one-child policy but surely that would have to be adopted worldwide very soon.
Seeing at least a third of the world's people live in poverty and they breed a lot faster than the more effluent society, most of us will see the point where poverty exceeds the effluent and awful thoughts of a super-AIDS, black plague, or some terrible new disease is not unreal.
Unless some drastic international agreement can be reached, I fear that in the next 100 years we will have a catastrophic period where much of the world's population will perish and maybe a nominal group will survive to start the cycle all over again. I hope I am wrong.
I know kwicky but the bulging population is a worldwide problem, not just the UK. You only have to consider the development of China in the last 10 years - as they are becoming more effluent, their hunger for the world's resources grows daily. Eventually other populous countries like India and Pakistan will also develop, or perish like some of the African countries are doing now.
Make no mistake, when the resources become scarce the present worldwide goodwill will fly out of the window and each nation will try to advance their own society.
Make no mistake, when the resources become scarce the present worldwide goodwill will fly out of the window and each nation will try to advance their own society.
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