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Cyd
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01 Jul 2012, 9:13 am

Can we discuss some of the objections to the idea that some who have been labeled "autistic" may actually be the result of evolution? Without defensiveness? Probably not - not here, anyway - how about with as little defensiveness as possible?

Or, perhaps we could discuss human evolution, in general? What it might look like and how it might be perceived by us, the "participants"?



McAnulty
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01 Jul 2012, 11:15 am

If you search the word evolution in the forums you will see a lot of threads have been started with this hypothesis. And you're right, it usually ends up with a lot of people becoming defensive and upset.



Aoibh
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01 Jul 2012, 11:26 am

I think we're just different. Maybe not evolution.

I suppose it's like, if your skin colour is black and another's is white, it doesn't make one the result of evolution - they're just different. So, if one person has AS and the other is NT, neither are a "super race" or more evolved than the other, they just work differently.

Who knows! (:


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Cyd
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01 Jul 2012, 11:31 am

Understood. Forget I mentioned it.



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01 Jul 2012, 11:59 am

Before all the wannabe X-men comments start, I want to say that if it really is evolutionary then it will likely be a dead end due to the usually severe trouble finding a mate and reproducing.


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Cyd
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01 Jul 2012, 12:03 pm

Aoibh wrote:
I think we're just different. Maybe not evolution.

I suppose it's like, if your skin colour is black and another's is white, it doesn't make one the result of evolution - they're just different. So, if one person has AS and the other is NT, neither are a "super race" or more evolved than the other, they just work differently.

Who knows! (:


"Super race" - a petty, NT idea that has nothing to do with evolution. Nevertheless - let's not annoy the members of this particular self-proclaimed "super race" or her advocates, eh?


God, I hate this planet, sometimes.



Aoibh
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01 Jul 2012, 12:07 pm

Cyd wrote:
Aoibh wrote:
I think we're just different. Maybe not evolution.

I suppose it's like, if your skin colour is black and another's is white, it doesn't make one the result of evolution - they're just different. So, if one person has AS and the other is NT, neither are a "super race" or more evolved than the other, they just work differently.

Who knows! (:


"Super race" - a petty, NT idea that has nothing to do with evolution. Nevertheless - let's not annoy the members of this particular self-proclaimed "super race" or her advocates, eh?


God, I hate this planet, sometimes.


I don't understand? I meant it as sarcasm? I'm sorry and apologise if I have offended you in some way (:


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McAnulty
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01 Jul 2012, 12:16 pm

Aoibh wrote:
I think we're just different. Maybe not evolution.

I suppose it's like, if your skin colour is black and another's is white, it doesn't make one the result of evolution - they're just different. So, if one person has AS and the other is NT, neither are a "super race" or more evolved than the other, they just work differently.

Who knows! (:


Interestingly black and white skin each have different benefits and can be viewed from an evolutionary standpoint. Black skin protects the skin better from sun damage, very useful for people living in Africa where the sun is very intense. White skin allows more vitamin D to penetrate, very useful for people who live where there isn't always a lot of sun. This has nothing to do with the whole AS thing, I've just always found it to be an interesting fact.



Aoibh
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01 Jul 2012, 12:19 pm

McAnulty wrote:
Aoibh wrote:
I think we're just different. Maybe not evolution.

I suppose it's like, if your skin colour is black and another's is white, it doesn't make one the result of evolution - they're just different. So, if one person has AS and the other is NT, neither are a "super race" or more evolved than the other, they just work differently.

Who knows! (:


Interestingly black and white skin each have different benefits and can be viewed from an evolutionary standpoint. Black skin protects the skin better from sun damage, very useful for people living in Africa where the sun is very intense. White skin allows more vitamin D to penetrate, very useful for people who live where there isn't always a lot of sun. This has nothing to do with the whole AS thing, I've just always found it to be an interesting fact.


I didn't know that - that's really interesting!

I suppose we could relate it back to AS: both AS and NT have advantages and disavantages depending on your view point. (:


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bizboy1
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01 Jul 2012, 12:21 pm

Image



bizboy1
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01 Jul 2012, 12:22 pm

I don't have any super powers but I've been told my great aunt could move objects with her mind.



aspienewbie22
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01 Jul 2012, 12:23 pm

Can we discuss some of the objections to the idea that some who have been labeled "autistic" may actually be the result of evolution?

Yes, it is called a mutation; a change from the wild type. Which is NT.

And don't start getting upset. "Mutation" has zero implication of "good" or "bad." It merely means, "deviation from the wild type...a change to an existing allele, and...over time...a change in allele frequencies."

It's no "worse" or "better" than why some people have a longer second toe...others have a unibrow...and yet others go bald.



Cyd
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01 Jul 2012, 12:30 pm

John_Browning wrote:
Before all the wannabe X-men comments start, I want to say that if it really is evolutionary then it will likely be a dead end due to the usually severe trouble finding a mate and reproducing.


Oooh, now THERE'S an idea. However, I believe there are varying degrees of traits, not yet "commonly" recognized, but inherent in most of the current world's population. I believe it is much older and much further along than we think.

Man is not "nature". Nature doesn't "repair" or "improve" a finished product. She changes the mold from which it comes. It stands to reason that there would be some who would struggle with various ratios of both aspects at the same time there would be those for whom the "old" mechanism has simply been deactivated and/or replaced, during a transition. No one would notice until such individuals began showing up in greater and greater numbers which can only happen after the idea of killing them off, one by one, had passed. At which point, things would speed up, considerably, and right on time - with the "time" being "half past too late to keep it from happening".

However "smart" we think we are, we are still a product of and a slave to nature. We do not exist outside the laws that govern this universe. If evolution must come, then it will come, regardless of whether or not those who are evolving recognize the process.



Cyd
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01 Jul 2012, 12:36 pm

Aoibh wrote:
Cyd wrote:
Aoibh wrote:
I think we're just different. Maybe not evolution.

I suppose it's like, if your skin colour is black and another's is white, it doesn't make one the result of evolution - they're just different. So, if one person has AS and the other is NT, neither are a "super race" or more evolved than the other, they just work differently.

Who knows! (:


"Super race" - a petty, NT idea that has nothing to do with evolution. Nevertheless - let's not annoy the members of this particular self-proclaimed "super race" or her advocates, eh?


God, I hate this planet, sometimes.


I don't understand? I meant it as sarcasm? I'm sorry and apologise if I have offended you in some way (:


You didn't offend me. Apparently we both missed each other's attempts at sarcasm. ROFL! Isn't that funny? Or is it just me? LOL!



Cyd
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01 Jul 2012, 12:42 pm

aspienewbie22 wrote:
Can we discuss some of the objections to the idea that some who have been labeled "autistic" may actually be the result of evolution?

Yes, it is called a mutation; a change from the wild type. Which is NT.

And don't start getting upset. "Mutation" has zero implication of "good" or "bad." It merely means, "deviation from the wild type...a change to an existing allele, and...over time...a change in allele frequencies."

It's no "worse" or "better" than why some people have a longer second toe...others have a unibrow...and yet others go bald.


Well, clearly you've made up your mind. Not only about what YOU believe, but also of how I would respond. If you like, you can write my replies to your posts, yourself, and just sign my name - I don't mind.

Were you being sarcastic? I am. ROFL!! Could you tell?



Cyd
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01 Jul 2012, 12:51 pm

Hmmm...sarcasm would make an interesting subject. But I suppose it's been done, eh? I'm going to go find it.

edit to add: It looks like the "sarcasm" topic has been pretty well covered, but not much progress has been made. Hmmm...ROFL! That might make communication a bit of a problem - which I am finding particularly funny, for some reason!

Okay, here's what I'm going to try to do - if I find myself leaning toward sarcasm, I'm just not going to post. LOL!

The funny thing is that I LIKE it when the sarcasm is recognized, as such, and it goes back and forth!