is autism/aspergers a sign of evolution?

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angelgirl1224
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05 Apr 2008, 4:19 pm

This may sound a bit weird but it is something ive been thinking about lately. Maybe the differences in behaviour and stuff is just a sign of species evolving over the years. I dont know what other people think about this? Therefore there isn't really a cause of autism/aspergers as such, Its just because species are changing gradually over time???

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poopylungstuffing
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05 Apr 2008, 4:29 pm

Sometimes I feel like I am closer to a cave person..



PinkieOfDoom
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05 Apr 2008, 4:35 pm

I used to think that too, but then I forgot that i had that thought and forgot about it. But it does makes sense...



pakled
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05 Apr 2008, 4:50 pm

maybe by random chance...;) There may be some evolutionary benefit, but time will tell what it is...;)



Rainbow-Squirrel
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05 Apr 2008, 4:54 pm

This theory fascinates me, but I wouldn't know



0_equals_true
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05 Apr 2008, 4:58 pm

I have said this before. You can't say that anything present is a distinct intermediary sign of future evolution. Because evolution itself cannot be determined until it has happened. There is nothing to suggest there is a specific evolutionary advantage in ASD or not.

Everything is to play for basically.



Spiral153
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05 Apr 2008, 4:58 pm

Doesn't the typical Aspie lack common sense?
booksmart intelligence + a lack of common sense = evolution?????



0_equals_true
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05 Apr 2008, 5:02 pm

Spiral153 wrote:
Doesn't the typical Aspie lack common sense?
booksmart intelligence + a lack of common sense = evolution?????

Doesn't necessarily follow. Evolution isn't really an individuals game. It might require some animal to become more individual, capable of complex reasoning and have a degree of self determination. But from an individual's perspective human behavior is bizarre at best.



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05 Apr 2008, 5:11 pm

<sigh...>
No. Do Aspies on average have more children than NT's? No, especially given our common difficulties in finding a mate. If we have lower reproductive success, we are NOT the next step in human evolution. Humans aren't really affected much by natural selection anymore (we construct our own habitats to our comfort) and so the only pressure on us is sexual selection, something at which Aspies don't exactly have the advantage over NT's.


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knowmadic
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05 Apr 2008, 5:14 pm

I've thought the same thing, and even written about this in another thread recently. It's difficult or near impossible to prove, but its very compelling. When I first thought that, it was due to our lack of communication skills. Since much of our evolution from primitive animals is based around ability to communicate, i speculated that maybe we are a step towards the next phase of human communication; for example, maybe we are not only thinking that people can read our minds, but are practising for it in order to become the humans of future generations.



knowmadic
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05 Apr 2008, 5:15 pm

crazy theory, i know. but i like to imagine it's possible



knowmadic
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05 Apr 2008, 5:17 pm

good point Orwell!

PS. Eric Arthur Blair's writings are some of my biggest fascinations as well.



0_equals_true
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05 Apr 2008, 5:17 pm

Orwell wrote:
<sigh...>
No. Do Aspies on average have more children than NT's? No, especially given our common difficulties in finding a mate. If we have lower reproductive success, we are NOT the next step in human evolution. Humans aren't really affected much by natural selection anymore (we construct our own habitats to our comfort) and so the only pressure on us is sexual selection, something at which Aspies don't exactly have the advantage over NT's.


Well the whole premise is flawed because we don't know which key parts of our make up will be present many generations to come.

I don't really follow Darwin's natural selection, which most evolutionists nowadays have moved on from, and I assume you have too.

Human selection is very complex. We do have conflicts yet we need to be able to live together in very large numbers and have 'societies'. The determining factors are very debatable and dynamic.



Mum2ASDboy
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05 Apr 2008, 5:18 pm

Does this mean that I sould be on the Endangered Species list as an NT :lol:



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05 Apr 2008, 5:22 pm

Mum2ASDboy wrote:
Does this mean that I sould be on the Endangered Species list as an NT :lol:

Well an endangered species list is something only an individual would come up with. So go ahead put yourself on one if you think it will help.



Orwell
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05 Apr 2008, 5:24 pm

knowmadic wrote:
maybe we are not only thinking that people can read our minds, but are practising for it in order to become the humans of future generations.


...

Evolution does not have precognition. It acts on the present, not the future, and makes no plans. It also does not practice.


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