Debate Info

12

8

Yes

No

Debate Score:	20
Arguments:	18
Total Votes:	26
More Stats

Argument Ratio

side graph

Yes (9)

No (8)

Debate Creator

Will the human race evolve to be more stupid?

The idea of natural selection is that the best adapted breed more and therefore multiple faster than those that aren't. It seems to be that professional people tend to wait longer to have children, and therefore have fewer, than people that either don't work or are in lower paid jobs. Assuming that the professional people have a IQ higher than that of those that do less highly trained jobs, does it logically follow that those will a lower IQ will eventually outnumber those with higher IQs so much that the average will start to decrease? This is assuming that IQ is heritary - as I believe at least in part it is.

Yes Side Score: 12		No Side Score: 8
Add New Argument		Add New Argument

1 point

No but, we could be come most unintelligent by other means like fluoridated water and mercury toxicity. In essence not a natural evolution yet, still a path we have to folllow.

11 years ago Side: Yes

Support Dispute Clarify

1 point

http://www.funnyjunk.com/funny_pictures/4328946/jump+off+that+building+coz+YOLO/

This has all ready happend.

11 years ago Side: Yes

Support Dispute Clarify

Banana_Slug (845)

0 points

just look around CD how many creatards are there .............

11 years ago Side: Yes

Support Dispute Clarify

Cartman (18192)

-1 points

This could totally happen. Look at the movie Idiocracy.

11 years ago Side: Yes

Support Dispute Clarify

↑ Hide Replies

Cartman (18192)

0 points

Aww man, I got downvoted. I thought the movie was funny.

11 years ago Side: Yes

Support Dispute Clarify

Add New Argument

HoldTheMayo (5913)

1 point

This is also assuming that IQ is a good measure of intelligence.

11 years ago Side: No

Support Dispute Clarify

↑ Hide Replies

Atrag (5666) Clarified

1 point

I guess I was saying IQ to be synonymous with intelligence. But you're right maybe IQ isn't the best measure.

11 years ago Side: Yes

Support Dispute Clarify

PrayerFails (11139)

1 point

Devolution is almost impossible because of humans must continually adapt to survive.

11 years ago Side: No

Support Dispute Clarify

↑ Hide Replies

Cartman (18192) Disputed

2 points

Birds become flightless when there is no threat to their survival. This is due to the fact that flying wings require a lot of "energy". Human intelligence should require a lot of "energy" as well. If it becomes easier to survive without intelligence it is possible to lose intelligence in favor of reproducing.

11 years ago Side: Yes

Support Dispute Clarify

↑ Hide Replies

PrayerFails (11139) Disputed

1 point

Birds becoming flightless is not devolution, it is still evolution because evolution includes changes in all traits. Also, how would survival became easier without intelligence? That would be impossible.

11 years ago Side: No

Support Dispute Clarify

↓ Show Replies

Cartman (18192) Disputed

2 points

Well, I did not claim devolution, in fact, you are the only one to claim devolving. Since you believe that birds losing the ability to fly is still evolution, then I can claim that humans losing intelligence is also evolution.

I thought I explained why I thought losing intelligence was possible. I didn't say survival would become easier without intelligence. I was saying that survival would not require intelligence. If intelligence is not needed, it may disappear like flight in birds.

11 years ago Side: Yes

Support Dispute Clarify

↓ Show Replies

PrayerFails (11139) Disputed

1 point

I never claimed devolution, I said it is impossible. You implied it with an example citing flightless birds.

How would survival not require intelligence? Intelligence is paramount to survival considering only the strong and smart survive. That is what evolution is, survival of the fittest due to the changing environment.

11 years ago Side: No

Support Dispute Clarify

↓ Show Replies

Cartman (18192) Disputed

1 point

Let's drop the devolution thing. Losing traits is possible with evolution.

How would survival not require intelligence?

If we say human intelligence gives an advantage like wings give to birds it is easy to see that it is possible. People can just go to a store and buy food, what intelligence is needed for that?

Intelligence is paramount to survival considering only the strong and smart survive.

If this changes, my scenario is possible. With all of the technology around humans don't have to adapt so much to the environment, and maybe intelligence won't be needed to survive. Computers are so easy to use that it doesn't take much intelligence.

That is what evolution is, survival of the fittest due to the changing environment.

The fittest group is whoever produces more children, and an advantage goes to the group of people who are willing to have more kids. Since food is readily available, idiots can have more and more kids without a problem.

I do think it is very unlikely for this to happen. I am arguing that it is possible.

11 years ago Side: Yes

Support Dispute Clarify

↓ Show Replies

link6065 (740) Disputed

1 point

on the contrary, humans are the least adaptive species. couldnt hold a candle to a bacterium or virus.

11 years ago Side: Yes

Support Dispute Clarify

Centifolia (1319)

1 point

Lazier yes, but stupid? No.

Due to an unending barrage of trickery, backstabbing and scams, we became more and more skeptical of everyone and became wiser in the trade of words.

A fools choice to view the world as evil. But its a necessity if you wish to live

11 years ago Side: No

Support Dispute Clarify

Idiotobx914 (1339)

1 point

Six hundred years ago to today. Is the human race more stupid then it was six hundred years ago? No, the human race is smarter.

Older people tend to believe that people are getting more stupid due to the rapid change in beliefs and values in the past few years. The idea that people get less intelligent with each generation is purely fictitious. Proof; why is technology and society still advancing? A thousand years ago you would be stoned for saying god isn't real, today it is accepted by many that god's existence is impossible.

11 years ago Side: No

Support Dispute Clarify

Add New Argument

Browse More Debates