The theory surmises that everything was/is evolving into higher/improved/models? From my perspective, there are signs that de-volution is in progress. I base this on the fact that in just the last few generations there has been a huge increase of hereditary and chromosomal illness, diseases and abnormalities. Even with all our knowledge: nutrition, health care, the benefits of exercise. we are still dying from preventable causes prematurely.
Beside, IF evolution were true..wouldn't we all have awnings (we all squint in the sunlight!) and less body and facial hair been removing it long enough.
I do have a serious question: if humans are the end product of evolution, why are our off-spring the most helpless of all newborns, and for the longest time?
Another: Why are humans geting so stupid these days? Should we not look forward with heads held high and expect more or should we expect less from the future? We wont get any smarter, cause we maybe the end of our greatest down fall
Humans are degrading in evolution, meaning humans are geting dumber maybe another 2k years? Evolution has no direction. Natural selection trims populations according to the environment in which they live. Those best suited to live and reproduce in any particular place deliver more genes to the next generation than those that are less suited. So things improve only in relation to their environment.
That you've seen an increase in health problems is due mostly to an increase in news reporting and medical science. We don't really know all of the health problems of generations past because they went unrecognized and unreported - not like today. There's also been an exponential increase in our population, so we can expect the number of incidences to go up, this says nothing of the rate of incidence.
In addition, the disease causing organisms are also evolving - nothing stands still. For several generations, antibiotics have masked the toll that bacterial infection can have on humans. Now, antibiotic resistance is allowing resurgence in bacterial disease. This has nothing to do with human evolution - it's bacterial evolution. Medical science has also now linked the stress of bacterial infection to the most common chronic diseases that we suffer. It's a complicated picture and the generalizations you make are impossible to support.
Humans are not the end product of evolution - there is no end product - species continue to evolve as long as the environment continues to change. In human evolution, there has been a trend to a larger brain/body ratio. To deliver a baby with a huge brain in a female pelvis inherited from quadrupeds is quite a feat. To compensate, humans (and our primate progenitors) evolved social behaviors that encourage few offspring (compared to other, smaller, more mindless animals) and a great deal of care for our young (again a very different life-plan than other animals). In fact, the first few years outside the womb, as the brain continues to grow, and the helpless baby is nurtured by its loving parents, are just another part of human gestation - one that requires parental involvement and a nurturing society. So, along with the evolution of a biological life cycle, humans (and other primates) evolved social behaviors to support their biology. In other words, our biology is intimately tied to our social behavior and environment.
Concerning your comments about humans getting so stupid... what is your basis for making this statement? We should only expect from the future what we can make of the present. Our biology depends on nature and nurture; if we ignore either I'd expect the worse.
Humans are degrading in evolution, meaning humans are geting dumber maybe another 2k years? we let emotions rule the intellect. i dont think we are the end product of evolution, because its still going on. i dont think our species are native to this earth. we are the only ones that alter nature, or try to. we eat meat, but are not capable of catching a chicken without a tool. we cant do it naturally, and cattle and hogs are completely out of the question. every other species on earth know what to do naturally. we have to be taught. our biggest problem is money and greed, and just like the roman empire, it will be our downfall. it seems rich people know how to make money, and nothing else. that nothing else will kill us because they have the power. the more money they make, the less money everyone else makes which puts them in a major minority. people can take only so much before they rebel. thats the way its been thru-out history, and its not changing.
Humans are degrading in evolution, meaning humans are geting dumber maybe another 2k years? I agree....especially about the increase in diseases and abnormalities that seems to be increasing. People get so caught up in technological advancement that we don't even think about the long term consequences regarding bio accumulation of toxins caused by our actions and how they will eventually alter human life as we know it. Even the problems we have traced to source, such as mercury accumulation, are still getting worse in some areas....and most hazardous chemical by-products are unknown....and not even being looked into. Young adult males today have 50% of the sperm that young males had 40 years ago...that's kind of scary.
As to your question on newborns....that has to do with the size of the brain/skull of humans. Premature birth was an evolutionary compromise that went along with increased intelligence.
Humans are degrading in evolution, meaning humans are geting dumber maybe another 2k years? "The theory surmises that everything was/is evolving into higher/improved/models?"
No, this is where you misunderstand. Things do not evolve to "better" as in higher. What generally happens is, those who can survive long enough to breed and who's offspring do the same, pass on their genes. In some environments, some individuals will do better because of randon mutations which make them better suited for that environment, and these beneficial mutations will be passed on and often enhanced, often times making the particular species better suited for that environment.
We humans are physically weak creatures. We have no fur, no fangs, we can't run very fast, smell very well, hear very well, or lift very much for our size (chimps are more than 3 times stronger), but we survive due to our intelligence. We have found ways to make up for what we lack physically.
Our babies are weak and helpless but in most instances we can keep them alive long enough to reproduce.
I don't think people are getting any stupider, but at the same time, I don't think most people in the world reach their full intellectual potential. This may be due to malnutrition, or lack of education, or proper care and education at a young age. Then again, this is how it's been for most of the population for thousands of years.
Humans are degrading in evolution, meaning humans are geting dumber maybe another 2k years? it will happen sooner than that. the town i live in has as of today 68,000 millionaires. i lost my home because i couldnot make enough money to pay the taxes and jacked up mortgage payment. the property values have been so jacked up by the local governt. that the avg person can't afford anything anymore.... all in the name of greed, money and power. won't be too long till i die, and i'm glad of it. Now concerning the educational system...yup. they are dumbing down the kids. just try and buy a american made radio. your steel comes from china. aluminum from canada (at least they like us). the county is going to hell and middle america is letting it happen. the overall morals have slipped badly! you know...why get married, lets just have a kid. I'm thankful that the marine corp teaches honor. we had it when i was a GI 50 years ago (USAF). well world thats what you want? and its coming at you....get ready.. ( yes i'm very fed up!)
Humans are degrading in evolution, meaning humans are geting dumber maybe another 2k years? We are living in a controlled environment, and so we don't get to live up to our natural developing potential. In nature there is also natural selection, and survival of the fittest. The natural compatiability is probably more respected in the animal kingdom, where the female for tha most part is the discriminator. Human males don't readily accept human female discrimination. I , as a female, am pretty quick to know who I am attracted to or not to, but, am reluctant to reveal this truth in the fear of hurting that individuals feelings. Because the human males have nominated themselves as leaders of the human race. Men make more MONEY than women still. So human females end up connecting to a male (tolerating one) for other reasons than the natural rules of attraction and true compatiability. And in essense we're breaking the universal laws, so tp speak. Again, we're then interfering with nature. But, nature is always trying to right itself to make up for this, and who knows, maybe that's why we've evolved in such a complex way. Nature is constantly trying to right wrongs, and balance itself, compensate. And we live in a civilization, where we're born to benefit our political leaders who control our lives, ie, We're born to produce revenue, and pay taxes, and have our young male off spring go to war. Our lives are so predictable. Most people live life as if by receipe, as if there was an unspoken law that fit the norm. So because of this controlled life pattern, we fail to grow and explore our full potential. We are too busy being slaves to rules and the norm. And if you're not like others, you are crazy, and belong in the looney bin, a place where you have less rights than in a lot of prisons. We also have other factors like dangerous chemical, bad food and drugs, both legal and illegal. No wonder we are as sane as we are, indeed.
