Evolution...?

[SextusMaximus]

Grow-able socks.

It wont matter when we lose a pair.

 

[Nimcha]

snip

Wow...

I do wonder, are you by any chance a follower of the Intelligent Design movement?

 

[XT inc]

I'd think eventually we'd evolve to grew new teeth, like sharks to match our longer life spans. Side note the way we live longer lifespans would cripple us, I mean current situations mean you have to live on your nest egg from age 55-65 til the day you die, which can be 40+years. I mean fuck people in the old days didn't have these problems, the drank they smoked they ate bacon, and they fucked off at around 60. 40 years from now there will be like billions of elderly folks with no income and nothing to do.

 

[Crazy_Dude]

Our technological advancements will surpass evolution within a few thousand years.

You want wings? But evolution wont give you them? How about you genetical engineer some wings for yourself?

 

[Thedutchjelle]

There's little selection on humans nowadays, with natural healthcare and all that. In fact, one of my teachers even pointed out that thanks to healthcare, people with 'bad genes' (genetic diseases and the like) survive and carry the genes to a new generation, instead of dying out. I think that without some sort of catastrophe that will select fit and unfit from the human population, we won't see big differences in millenia to come.

But humans do evolve, however slowly (as all evolution is slow). Remember the Black Plague that struck Medieval Europe? Turns out the descendants of those people have a slightly higher resistance against HIV.

Doing first year of Biomedical sciences, just had a Genetic exam before winter recess

I Think Humanity will branch off into three different Groups:

Group 1: Exypnos Anthropos or "Smart Man", will be the group of Humans who have Bigger Brains and thus continue to have Modern Human Socieities. They will be a bit taller, but also a bit weaker, but their technology will be 50 times more improved then ours.

Group 2: Ischyri Anthropos or "Strong Man", will be the group of Humans who have Bigger Muscles and will have a deformed form of Human Culture (It'll probably be a restart of Human Societies, like Roman and Assyrian Cultures). They will be a bit taller, but stupider, and will probably also be more persuadable. They could be more violent, but perhaps they'd make great workers and soldiers, but this could lead to the Smart Man using the Strong Man as their Paid Armies.

Group 3: Allaxe O Anthropos or "Changed Man", will be a group of both Smart and Strong Men who where Genetically Engineered (Literally, not what Genetically Engineering really means) by either their own want or through payment promises. They will differ from Man to Man: Some might have wings, some might have kitten parts, others might be just gelatinous blob monsters. Some might be accepted into Human Societies, but most will probably live on the fringes of both cultures, and perhaps they would develop their own.

Also Cyborgs, but they'll probably fit into the Smart Man Category.

(PS, I was Using Google Translator to create the Greek Names for the New Humans, so the Greek is probably incorrect)

Humans are called Homo Sapiens, and it would be best if descendants from that species carry the same genus name, with your names that should be Homo exypnos, Homo ischyri , etc. But I could be wrong. Still having to get used to the biological nomenclature.

 

[The Hairminator]

In today's society human evolution is over, as we have ways to sidestep it. In fact, people with non-successful "traits" tend to procreate more (or say, people with very 'good' genes in africa die by starvation nonetheless) by my observations. So, that would mean the gene-pool is actually more or less de-evolving.

Society needs to be a lot more nature like, and not give second chances, for evolution to start working again. That said, it's not a society I would like.

If anything, people will generally become a lot darker, and traits such as blue eyes and 'white' skin will probably become much rarer as the dominant genes are bound to outbreed the recessive.

 

[Marsell]

If evolution doesn't exist, why do my poke'mon keep doin it?

 

[Therumancer]

snip

Wow...

I do wonder, are you by any chance a follower of the Intelligent Design movement?

No, not really. I think the entire arguement is stupid because I don't see the two idealogies as being mutally exclusive unless you want to have a fight for the sake of there being a fight.

As I've mentioned before, I *AM* a Christian, just not a deeply spiritual one. I consider myself a Christian agnostic, because I believe in the basic tenets of Christianity but don't believe any of the established churches have it "right". I do not believe in the mystical preservation of the bible, making it literally the direct word of god, any more than I believe that The Pope is infallible. I also tend to be a firm believer in science and technological advancement, and that it is our primary tool of understanding and manipulating the universe irregardless of whether there is a god. As such most arguements that pit dogma (ie this bit of science can't be true because it contridicts something in The Bible, or other religious text, and if it seems to be true it must be a test of faith) against science have me clearly taking the side of science.

I say the attitudes are not directly contridictory because nothing prevents a higher being from having creaed reality. Certain existential questions about how something can come from nothing and the like are things science cannot so far address. In the end any conflict here is largely against specific dogmas and religious texts, rather than the basic concepts themselves.

What's more "intelligent design" can also mean a lot of things besides the intervention of a divine being, although that is the battle that usually takes place. Theories can be expressed about humanity say being seeded on earth by aliens or whatever. Science has already shown just through our limited experimentation with genetic engineering that it is possible to create new life forms (even if we aren't to the point of creating new animals outright yet), we know it's possible to fly spaceships out there (Space Shuttles, and also the simple fact that we know we can already get to mars if we want to, we will probably be capable of far more if we work at it). With time it's pretty obvious we could fly a ship to another planet, drop a custom-designed organism there, and leave. Why anyone would want to do that is beyond me (and understand I'm not saying that happened), but it does mean that "intelligence design" as a general concept can't be entirely dismissed even by science.

That said, it's pretty obvious people do evolve (as I pointed out in my original post), right along with other forms of life. It's just very slowly. Evolution is an undeniable fact. On the other hand as many people will tell you, we have yet to ever objectively prove a clear course of human evolution (the monkey to man thing), despite claims by some obssesives to the contrary, we have yet to find "The Missing Link", or actually what would be several of them, to tie that path of evolution together. I'm not saying it won't happen, but "The Missing Link" is infamous because it would be the smoking gun to prove humanity evolved here (which is probably the case), but so far it hasn't occured. Most such discoveries (like Peking Man) are proven to be fakes if they are objectively examined by enough skeptics.

I am however not going to ramble on about my spiritual beliefs as far as they go, because they are more or less irrelevent here.

Truthfully though, I wonder why you would ask this question when my entire arguement is based around science and logic, and I myself said that I feel there is nothing inherantly magical about people. Quite the opposite, what I was saying is that most of what we do and even think can ultimatly be traced back to instinct, and chemical and electrical impulses.

Now granted, SOME of what I was saying is fringe science, but some parts of it also aren't, they just aren't widely discussed.

 

[Josh123914]

If evolution doesn't exist, why do my poke'mon keep doin it?

buterfrees and beedrill don't count, try wvolving something badass like a tyranitar or a salamance

 

[Nimcha]

snip

Alright, thanks for the explanation. My reason for asking is quite simple, most of your ramblings seemed to border on the intelligent design dogma. Mostly because of your wording, perhaps. It seemed like you were postulating evolution has a purpose, or meaning.

As an aside, 'fringe science' does not exist. Something is either scientific or it isn't. I'm sorry to tell you that most of your post is unscientific, but then again so is most of this thread. Also, the thing about the 'missing link'? It's not needed. Human evolution has been pretty much mapped out without it. No real doubt anymore there.

 

[ParkourMcGhee]

Let's face it - evolution is a long process of selection. We're screwing that up by making medicines etc etc, allowing more people to survive (no matter the conditions), it's like we're sticking a giant middle finger to evolution.

Eventually anything could happen, but since the driving force is survival, "evolution" will fall apart. There could be people too weak to exist in a normal enviroment, or equally people who are extremely powerful but that consume so much energy they otherwise wouldn't be able to exist.

 

[nuba km]

snip

logically the ability to breath carbon dioxide because genes have a habit of creating a mutation needed for a species e.g. rats that are resistant to poison. and with the increase of carbon that might happen and the carbon breathers will be able to continue living as we destroy the planet. also we will properly be able to handle hotter climates as well as those who can't will die and won't be able breed so their genes won't pass on.

 

[Spacewolf]

i imagine that we will have widespread genetic engineering before any major changes happen

 

[MEEBO17]

Anything that makes life better is fine for me.

 

[Jack Nettle]

Oh geez, I hope I don't get flamed...

Anthropomorphics...

 

[instantbenz]

we're de-evolving ... have you turned on the television? look at society!

if intelligent people are going to procreate and keep their children out of society there might be a push toward deepening our minds ... Inception-type progress. stature changes don't seem likely.

 

[Apocalyptic-Bob]

Honestly, I think it would be almost all aesthetics, like less ability to develop/hold onto fat cells, nicer faces, and less body hair. Basically, the things that get you laid in modern society. It will still take thousands of years, and is completely dependent on the ugly people not spawning, AND the standard of beauty not changing.

 

[Griff]

I assume we'll genetically engineer our next evolution ourselves. Come on for psychic powers

 

[LiftYourSkinnyFists]

So Earth has been around for a pretty long time, yea? Scientists and other good folk have traced the evolution of man, among other things, back to several millenia ago.

Whether primates were our ancestors or not, or we came from the sea originally, humankind has evolved through the times and will (if we don't destroy our planet) continue to do so. But we're not perfect, and it has been a while since we last evolved.

So I pose this question, to you, my fellow Escapists;

What do you think will be the next step in the human evolution, and when will it happen?
[sub]Take a guess or give us some scientific mumbo-jumbo! Throw it out here.[/sub]

Edit: Can't be bothered to be scientific? Then just post what you think would be cool! That'll work too.

We'll be the exact same as we are now, perhaps with less vulnerability to cancer.

 

[brainslurper]

We won't evolve anymore. We've reached a point were instead of adapting to our surroundings, our surroundings adapt to us.

IN SOVIET RUSSIA, OUR SURROUNDINGS ADAPT TO US!