Are we an evolutionary dead end?
Discussion
If we take the premise that evolution is a fact and this is how we arose, I've often thought that intelligence is not a survival trait. Other animals live in balance with their environment, our intelligence means we do not need to. Our intelligence has also produced the means for us to wipe ourselves off the face of the planet, be it with pollution, weapons, global warming, whatever.
So will our intelligence eventually doom us, or will it save us?
So will our intelligence eventually doom us, or will it save us?
It could do either. But in my view it's going to kill us off because a lot of people dont like to think about how to apply our knowledge of evolution.
For instance infertility is on the increase. Now this is partly due to our environment. But not everyone is infertile. So some peoples genetic makeup makes them more suseptable to infertility. If we help them to breed are we not just increasing the problem? The same go's for a lot of genetic diseases that we put so much effort into defeating. Why spend that effort? Why not just let nature take care of it? Because it's not nice/it's a repulsive idea? OK fine but we're weakening the gene pool. Personally I know any kids I have will have defective eyesight, varocuse veins, and have a higher chance of heart problems. Because all these can be traced back through a lot of generations. And thats just one of the many reason I do not intend to have children.
For instance infertility is on the increase. Now this is partly due to our environment. But not everyone is infertile. So some peoples genetic makeup makes them more suseptable to infertility. If we help them to breed are we not just increasing the problem? The same go's for a lot of genetic diseases that we put so much effort into defeating. Why spend that effort? Why not just let nature take care of it? Because it's not nice/it's a repulsive idea? OK fine but we're weakening the gene pool. Personally I know any kids I have will have defective eyesight, varocuse veins, and have a higher chance of heart problems. Because all these can be traced back through a lot of generations. And thats just one of the many reason I do not intend to have children.
Munter said:
It could do either. But in my view it's going to kill us off because a lot of people dont like to think about how to apply our knowledge of evolution.
For instance infertility is on the increase. Now this is partly due to our environment. But not everyone is infertile. So some peoples genetic makeup makes them more suseptable to infertility. If we help them to breed are we not just increasing the problem? The same go's for a lot of genetic diseases that we put so much effort into defeating. Why spend that effort? Why not just let nature take care of it? Because it's not nice/it's a repulsive idea? OK fine but we're weakening the gene pool. Personally I know any kids I have will have defective eyesight, varocuse veins, and have a higher chance of heart problems. Because all these can be traced back through a lot of generations. And thats just one of the many reason I do not intend to have children.
It is an interesting point, do you let 'defective' people breed? But it is of course only a few steps away from Hitler's eugenics.
Munter said:
It could do either. But in my view it's going to kill us off because a lot of people dont like to think about how to apply our knowledge of evolution.
For instance infertility is on the increase. Now this is partly due to our environment. But not everyone is infertile. So some peoples genetic makeup makes them more suseptable to infertility. If we help them to breed are we not just increasing the problem? The same go's for a lot of genetic diseases that we put so much effort into defeating. Why spend that effort? Why not just let nature take care of it? Because it's not nice/it's a repulsive idea? OK fine but we're weakening the gene pool. Personally I know any kids I have will have defective eyesight, varocuse veins, and have a higher chance of heart problems. Because all these can be traced back through a lot of generations. And thats just one of the many reason I do not intend to have children.
Interesting...
I think that the technological and scientific advances that our intelligence engenders count as evolutionary steps, in a way. If an entity can survive to pass on its genes it can be said to have "succeeded" - therefore, if the entity survives only due to artificial external actions (vaccination, for example), then the artifical external action that allowed it to survive can be considered to be an evolutionary benefit.
the Morloks.
Yugguy said:
It is an interesting point, do you let 'defective' people breed? But it is of course only a few steps away from Hitler's eugenics.
Oh i'd let anybody breed. I just wouldn't help people who cant. And i'd cut down on solving hereditory problems. E.g. Let the breeding of humans carry on the way it was that got us here.
lunarscope said:
Augmenting human intelligence could be fruitfull.
Yep, that's how we'll continue to progress. Brain implants to allow us to access any knowledge we require. Born stupid ? No problem, have a bit more bandwidth.
Or the machines will take over......
...says Timmy30 suspiciously eyeing the vaccum cleaner.
I was thinking along these lines the other day and as far as engineering progress has gone i think the human race has hit a wall that maybe our intelligence can not push beyond after all computer chips can only be so small,cars can only go so fast,and if anything the aviation world seems to have gone backwards when you consider that back in the 70's it was intended that flight passengers were meant to be traveling around at the speed of sound and the space program has stood still.
ZR1cliff said:
I was thinking along these lines the other day and as far as engineering progress has gone i think the human race has hit a wall that maybe our intelligence can not push beyond after all computer chips can only be so small,cars can only go so fast,and if anything the aviation world seems to have gone backwards when you consider that back in the 70's it was intended that flight passengers were meant to be traveling around at the speed of sound and the space program has stood still.
Computer 'chips' will be getting smaller and more powerful for (effectively) ever.
I predict that in 20 years there will be effective and affordable(ish) direct links between Human brains and computing devices.
Resistance is futile.
We need a major war then.
Consider the engineering and science breakthroughs generated by the 1st, 2nd and Cold wars and you'll not be thinking 'technological brick walls' for long.
Also, the foot soldier is often from the lower echelon of society and now we have women soldiers we have a perfect opportunity to have a good old clearout.
Right then, lets get started, China invading Taiwan for starters followed by USA invasion of Iran with the Chinese coming in to protect their oil interests. (Unfortunately not on our side).
Consider the engineering and science breakthroughs generated by the 1st, 2nd and Cold wars and you'll not be thinking 'technological brick walls' for long.
Also, the foot soldier is often from the lower echelon of society and now we have women soldiers we have a perfect opportunity to have a good old clearout.
Right then, lets get started, China invading Taiwan for starters followed by USA invasion of Iran with the Chinese coming in to protect their oil interests. (Unfortunately not on our side).
Human evolution stopped when the bicycle was invented. For evolution to take place people must breed within a relatively restricted area in order for new characteristics to take hold. This no longer happens as people travel too much and no longer pair up with partners born close by. This means that when a new "superior" characteristic emerges it immediately gets lost again.
lunarscope said:
Computer 'chips' will be getting smaller and more powerful for (effectively) ever.
I predict that in 20 years there will be effective and affordable(ish) direct links between Human brains and computing devices.
Resistance is futile.
20 years sounds like a good estimate. The key will be developing chips that are as powerful in petaflops as the human brain. Still a way off yet but the development line is exponential.
(Been reading any transhumanist philosophy lunar?)
dodgyviper said:
We need a major war then.
Consider the engineering and science breakthroughs generated by the 1st, 2nd and Cold wars and you'll not be thinking 'technological brick walls' for long.
Also, the foot soldier is often from the lower echelon of society and now we have women soldiers we have a perfect opportunity to have a good old clearout.
Right then, lets get started, China invading Taiwan for starters followed by USA invasion of Iran with the Chinese coming in to protect their oil interests. (Unfortunately not on our side).
Do you honestly believe that?
Matthew-TMM said:
We need a major war then.
Consider the engineering and science breakthroughs generated by the 1st, 2nd and Cold wars and you'll not be thinking 'technological brick walls' for long.
Also, the foot soldier is often from the lower echelon of society and now we have women soldiers we have a perfect opportunity to have a good old clearout.
Right then, lets get started, China invading Taiwan for starters followed by USA invasion of Iran with the Chinese coming in to protect their oil interests. (Unfortunately not on our side).
Do you honestly believe that?
We are massively overdue a war. Hence the build up of chavs and all that go's with it.... Those that dont get killed at least have had a bit of discipline added into them.
lunarscope said:
I was thinking along these lines the other day and as far as engineering progress has gone i think the human race has hit a wall that maybe our intelligence can not push beyond after all computer chips can only be so small,cars can only go so fast,and if anything the aviation world seems to have gone backwards when you consider that back in the 70's it was intended that flight passengers were meant to be traveling around at the speed of sound and the space program has stood still.
Computer 'chips' will be getting smaller and more powerful for (effectively) ever.
I predict that in 20 years there will be effective and affordable(ish) direct links between Human brains and computing devices.
Resistance is futile.
I feel we are due a Major breakthrough soon wether it be medicine,transport or techno.
Maybe they will be able to move people in tubes under the seas at light speeds,or beat the dreaded C...maybe tune the brains thought patterns to computing devices but ime getting to the stage where it is like believing in UFO's or ghosts ....seeing is believing and thinking maybe we have evolved as far as possible.
Finding/inventing a new fuel source will be a major step forward.
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