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If there is a next step in human evolution (which there will

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Will ASD be the next step in human evolution?
Yes 11%  11%  [ 3 ]
Not really, but ASD will better complement the next step in evolution 37%  37%  [ 10 ]
Not at all 52%  52%  [ 14 ]
Total votes : 27

ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo
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22 May 2012, 10:18 am

jonny23 wrote:
Species5618 wrote:
First of all, evolution is a smooth and continuous process. It doesn't happen in steps. Nothing is ever a "next step in evolution".

Secondly, if ASS is the direction where humanity is evolving to, you would expect people on the spectrum to reproduce more than average, which is how the genes are propagated. This doesn't seem to be the case. On the contrary, many people with ASS have difficulties with intimate relationships.

Finally, I don't really think that the human race as a whole is evolving at all right now. Evolution happens because the environment around the species changes and only those specimens that have the right genes to be able to adapt to the changes will successfully reproduce. Humanity is keeping the environment controlled, we're living in houses in cities, usually far from the less forgiving outdoors which forces species to adapt. In addition, our technology and medical knowledge allows us to extend the lives of people who would've otherwise died and to allow people that would be unable to have offspring without assistance to be able to reproduce. In a way, we're counteracting evolution. The effects of it aren't noticeable however on the timescale of human medicine (3000 years at most).


I think you're getting natural selection and evolution confused. You can have evolution without any change in the environment. Also you do not have to reproduce more than average to be successful, although it helps.

Some people argue human species cannot evolve anymore due to science and lack of natural selection.



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22 May 2012, 10:23 am

ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo wrote:
jonny23 wrote:
Some people argue human species cannot evolve anymore due to science and lack of natural selection.


Our genes are still changing so we are still evolving. We are still effected by natural selection. Someone born without and immune system will still die. Someone born in a country not as advanced as others is still subject to all the forces of nature. We have had some affect but have not removed ourselves from the process.



Last edited by jonny23 on 22 May 2012, 10:24 am, edited 1 time in total.

Ganondox
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22 May 2012, 10:23 am

jonny23 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
jonny23 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
I will not answer this question as it is stupid, evolution does not have steps.


You are correct but I think what they are questioning is the direction our evolution.


Evolution does not have direction either.


Everything that moves has a direction. It may be chaotic and unpredictable but it is moving.


Was it the destiny of the first reptiles to become birds or mammals? Last time I checked, there was both, as well as more reptiles.


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jonny23
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22 May 2012, 10:28 am

Ganondox wrote:
jonny23 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
jonny23 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
I will not answer this question as it is stupid, evolution does not have steps.


You are correct but I think what they are questioning is the direction our evolution.


Evolution does not have direction either.


Everything that moves has a direction. It may be chaotic and unpredictable but it is moving.


Was it the destiny of the first reptiles to become birds or mammals? Last time I checked, there was both, as well as more reptiles.


I am confused by your statement. Are you implying that if something has a direction it has a destiny? A moving car has a direction and probably a destination but scientifically there is no destiny that governs if it will arrive there.



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22 May 2012, 10:34 am

jonny23 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
jonny23 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
jonny23 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
I will not answer this question as it is stupid, evolution does not have steps.


You are correct but I think what they are questioning is the direction our evolution.


Evolution does not have direction either.


Everything that moves has a direction. It may be chaotic and unpredictable but it is moving.


Was it the destiny of the first reptiles to become birds or mammals? Last time I checked, there was both, as well as more reptiles.


I am confused by your statement. Are you implying that if something has a direction it has a destiny? A moving car has a direction and probably a destination but scientifically there is no destiny that governs if it will arrive there.


The human race isn't moving, it changing and splitting and blah. It's like the car split into 3 cars, one of which stayed in the same spot, while the other two cars moved somewhere else, or maybe the car just exploded.


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jonny23
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22 May 2012, 10:42 am

I gave a linear example to point out that you can have a destination but not a set destiny. I agree with you that there are often splits in evolution. The splits are moving away from what they where. Not in a physically moving away in distance but if you look at the evolution of a species they start out one way and become another or become many or become none.



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22 May 2012, 10:59 am

ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo wrote:
Some people argue human species cannot evolve anymore due to science and lack of natural selection.


Hmm... i think the overpopulation could be a big issue and maybe in a near future, there will be a selection - made by humans, why not.
Also science can help human evolution - artificially, of course. But it's still an evolution.
In which concerns those with Asperger's, no i don't believe they are fit to carry on their genes. Anyway it is pointless to think about it.


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22 May 2012, 11:06 am

AnotherKind wrote:
In which concerns those with Asperger's, no i don't believe they are fit to carry on their genes.

I'm not even sure where to start with that.



bnky
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22 May 2012, 11:27 am

AnotherKind wrote:
In which concerns those with Asperger's, no i don't believe they are fit to carry on their genes.

Maybe you aren't, but the world would be a much sorrier place without other aspies in it's history.



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22 May 2012, 11:35 am

Ganondox wrote:
I will not answer this question as it is stupid, evolution does not have steps.


There is no reason to be rude. I think the implication was clear.

I was called out on a similar comment and upon reflection I believe a more appropriate word would be "branch".



Last edited by impulse94 on 22 May 2012, 11:43 am, edited 1 time in total.

bnky
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22 May 2012, 11:36 am

Ganondox wrote:
jonny23 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
jonny23 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
jonny23 wrote:
Ganondox wrote:
I will not answer this question as it is stupid, evolution does not have steps.


You are correct but I think what they are questioning is the direction our evolution.


Evolution does not have direction either.


Everything that moves has a direction. It may be chaotic and unpredictable but it is moving.


Was it the destiny of the first reptiles to become birds or mammals? Last time I checked, there was both, as well as more reptiles.


I am confused by your statement. Are you implying that if something has a direction it has a destiny? A moving car has a direction and probably a destination but scientifically there is no destiny that governs if it will arrive there.


The human race isn't moving, it changing and splitting and blah. It's like the car split into 3 cars, one of which stayed in the same spot, while the other two cars moved somewhere else, or maybe the car just exploded.

Evolution may not have direction or steps etc, but it would be a slightly arrogant species that claimed it was perfect and therefore that the genepool could had no more tricks up it's sleeve



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22 May 2012, 11:37 am

bnky wrote:
Maybe you aren't, but the world would be a much sorrier place without other aspies in it's history.

It's true. I meant to say that aspies tend to be loners by nature so many would prefer to have no children or very few. Statistically speaking, poorer families have more children whilst those with high iq or richer have very few or no kids at all. And i think it's true.


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Last edited by AnotherKind on 22 May 2012, 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

jonny23
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22 May 2012, 11:42 am

AnotherKind wrote:
bnky wrote:
Maybe you aren't, but the world would be a much sorrier place without other aspies in it's history.

It's true. I meant to say that aspies tend to be loners by nature so many would prefer to have no children.


There are many who would. There are also many non aspies who would prefer not to have children.



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22 May 2012, 11:47 am

ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo wrote:
Well, the thing is, any mutation is a form of evolution, so if ASD involves a mutation, wouldn't that make it a part of evolution by default?


only if it's a new mutation. My family have been farmers and herdsmen for centuries. A very lonely and isolated job. I like to think I was bred for that. However, the planet is getting pretty crowded, and it's hard to find a lonely and isolated job if you actually go looking for one. So, being a loner may have had useful applications to society in the past, but as society is growing, it's usefulness is turning into a pretty steep hinderance


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22 May 2012, 11:59 am

ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo wrote:
Well, the thing is, any mutation is a form of evolution, so if ASD involves a mutation, wouldn't that make it a part of evolution by default?


That is a good point. So technically you don't even have to pass on the gene to be part of the evolution. Only if you're part of the evolution is going to continue to evolve. :D

fleurdelily wrote:
only if it's a new mutation. My family have been farmers and herdsmen for centuries. A very lonely and isolated job. I like to think I was bred for that. However, the planet is getting pretty crowded, and it's hard to find a lonely and isolated job if you actually go looking for one. So, being a loner may have had useful applications to society in the past, but as society is growing, it's usefulness is turning into a pretty steep hinderance


I believe a mutation by definition is new. Unless you are referring to a mutation that happen a long time ago in which case are you referring to an older mutation being less useful? Mutations aren't always useful but they are always part of the evolution.



ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo
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22 May 2012, 12:09 pm

fleurdelily wrote:
ooOoOoOAnaOoOoOoo wrote:
Well, the thing is, any mutation is a form of evolution, so if ASD involves a mutation, wouldn't that make it a part of evolution by default?


only if it's a new mutation. My family have been farmers and herdsmen for centuries. A very lonely and isolated job. I like to think I was bred for that. However, the planet is getting pretty crowded, and it's hard to find a lonely and isolated job if you actually go looking for one. So, being a loner may have had useful applications to society in the past, but as society is growing, it's usefulness is turning into a pretty steep hinderance

I watched a fascinating documentary on natural selection and the best place to observe it in humans these days are places like the Himalayan mountains were people are continuing to evolve in order to deal with the thinner atmosphere. Scientists like to study these isolated groups.