Is the human race still evolving?
I've been curious about this for a while: is human evolution still ongoing? Or have modern medicine and lifestyles made the natural process of survival of the fittest (if you believe that sort of thing) obsolete?
Yes, evolution is ongoing
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No, evolution has stopped
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We are constantly evolving. Every species on Earth is constantly evolving because the environment in which we all live is constantly changing. In the human race, we are evolving to a species that will become used to an indoor lifestyle and prone to allergies and other simple health problems. Why? Because the people that are, let's say, allergic to bees will be able to live to sexual maturity because they will have allergy kits that will keep them alive. This gene that causes a bee allergy can then be passed on. In the past, this would not happen as often because people allergic to bees hundreds of years ago did not have vaccines to diseases or allergies. Side: Yes, evolution is ongoing
Everything with cells evolves constantly. Evolution isn't some smart thing that looks for the best answers to the question of survival, it's random mutations in genes that sometimes get passed on if the one with the mutation has kids. There are so many social and random factors involved in who has kids, and what genes get passed on are incredibly random, it's impossible to say what ever will or won't stick around. and we all have mutations. So it's constant. At any rate, recorded history is far far too short to make any kind of judgement as to in what directions we are evolving at this very moment, to the girl on the other side who says the genetically superior are no longer any more likely to pass on their genes. One has to try and understand how long "millions and millions of years" really is. Side: Yes, evolution is ongoing
this is a true fact that human race is still evolving and will still continue to evolve. This is because the environment around us is continuously changing, though they cannot be observed in a short span of life time. Examples to say the human are still evolving are obvious from the famous generation gaps that we notice in day to day life! Side: Yes, evolution is ongoing
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I think Darwinian evolution of humans stopped when human intellegence took over from survival of the (physical) fitest. We are now evolving under a completely different set of rules. Yes we care for our lame, sickly, retarded, insane brothers and sisters but, that does not mean they degrade the gene pool. Consider the physical condition of S. Hawking and his contribution to the world since debilitation. Consider the line between genius and insanity is exceedingly thin. Genes from a very mentally challenged person can combine with an ordinary person's to produce a genius; and v.v., two geniuses can produce a real dummy. An athlete of highest performance can be a genius or a dunce. Main point, is that there are new rules guiding evolution of humans and we are in dire need of a modern Darwin to light the way. The Goal? To live forever and be contented. Side: Yes, evolution is ongoing
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We are still evolving and of cause as the changes are so small we are not going to see much in our life times. The few things I have observed here in the British museums are evidence of how smaller humans where say 500 years ago. If you see old shoes they look like children's but in fact they are adults and you always have to bend your head to go through cottage doors. Womens breasts are meant to be getting to getting bigger by average and our clothing sizes got redone some years ago due to the fact that women are not so hour glass as before. Side: Yes, evolution is ongoing
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I have to disagree with your argument about height. Although people tended to be smaller 500 years ago, this has almost nothing to do with genetics. Nutrition actually played a much bigger role in peoples heights. This can be seen even more clearly if you look at height by class. Those people who could afford a better nutrition tended to be taller, whereas those who couldn't, the common people, were shorter. The same is still true today. In those nations where the population can't afford enough food, or healthy food, people are shorter. Genetically, we are virtually the same as we were 500 years ago. Evolution just doesn't work that fast, especially on large populations. Side: No, evolution has stopped
Interesting argument, I wonder if there's evidence for that... How far can nutrition really affect our heights? You say that in nations where people can afford healthier food they tend to be taller. I wonder what healthy food you are referring to, would you agree Japanese food is healthy? ^^ Side: Yes, evolution is ongoing
Yes Evolution isnt over. But you could argue that the evolution of DNA isnt as important as evolution of outer factors in human culture - as Ray Kurzweil, Marshall Mcluhan, Buckminster Fuller and recently Stephen Hawking have pointed out Side: Yes, evolution is ongoing
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Genetically inferior people are now just as likely to live, prosper, and procreate as the possibly genetically superior. Favourable mutations are no longer beneficial to producing offspring and the mutations that are passed down don't affect society. Side: No, evolution has stopped
Just because evolution isn't taking the path you'd expect it to doesn't mean that it has stopped. Evolution doesn't stop. The definition of a favourable mutation is entirely subjective from your point of view. People will continue to evolve, for example, different resistances to diseases. Those that most suit the environment will pass their genes on; it's just that the traits we would historically have called "most suitable", such as strength, fitness, hunting skill, etc, are no longer required in our environment. Just because the selection criteria has become extremely skewed due to our complex societies doesn't mean that evolution has stopped in any way. Side: Yes, evolution is ongoing
I think the question deserves some interpretation, but is there enough evolution to count, and whats stopping new traits from being smothered. The whole basis for evolution and development as a species is that traits that help the species survive are integrated and that traits that are no long required are purged over time. But the human race has reached a point where survival appears to no longer be an issue, and as I have said before, the weaker element continues to exist. The traits from the weaker elements cannot be stopped, so the human race's gene pool becomes stagnant. Micro evolution? Cosmetic changes, small changes? Yes, but as a whole, the human race is not 'evolving'. Side: No, evolution has stopped
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As much as I'd hate to admit it just out of cruelty, the gene pool is growing stagnant because the weaker elements have more of a chance to live. Disorders that cause retardation would have been wiped out in the past due to an inability to survive. The Human race as is, is at a stoplight and will be for a very long time unless society becomes some evil machine where inferior genes are purged and selective breeding takes place. Side: No, evolution has stopped
I would like you to consider two very famous cities. Sparta and Athens, more than 2500 years ago. The Spartans were notorious for their intolerance towards any form of disability, to the point of literally throwing babies in the fire if they did not look fit and perfectly healthy. As a result the city gained notoriety for its unbeatable warriors, the 300 are just an example of that. On the other hand, the Athenians were somewhat more tolerant of disability. They didn't focus so much on physical perfection but rather on the wonders that the mind can achieve. As a result the city gained notoriety for its contributions towards philosophy, maths, science, medicine, politics, and a myriad other things that we are still applying today. Now fast forward into modern day. Which of these two cities do you think has stood the test of time? Which one do you think "evolved" with the times? Which one do you think produced more good for its citizens and humanity in general? Athens. Sparta nowadays is like a small forgotten town that even Greeks themselves can't place on the map. So what was achieved with all that strict intolerance towards disability? Nothing. Nothing but good soldiers. Killing machines. Ultimately though, that approach to life didn't last long. Because mind will always conquer matter, and the Athenians were right :o) Side: Yes, evolution is ongoing
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