Interesting article on evolution (page 3)

IP_SEC

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/08/990810064914.htm

besty

i'm not arguing that a pacemaker is biological evolution

my point is that to the degree technology is indistinguishable from the human experience, we have evolved to something different, not genetically, but to all intents and purposes evolution in its broadest sense nonetheless

when our bloodstreams are full of nanobots and our brains are 'enhanced' with memory, experience and learning upgrades are we still human? Have we evolved?

I think the answers are yes and yes.

drwtsn32

I gotcha, IP_SEC. I thought you meant the actual act of learning fire directly changed the genome. That sounded preposterous to me. Instead you were just saying fire indirectly enabled evolution to advance.

IP_SEC

Exactly DrW. Its kinda just as directly as indirectly though. Evolution is evolution regardless of the pressure.

drwtsn32

Have we evolved?

I think the answers are yes and yes.

If you use a loose definition of evolution, then I agree. Just like our culture, technology, and language "evolve." But true biological evolution? No.

drwtsn32

Evolution is evolution regardless of the pressure.

Agreed, but our technology and knowledge are causing many environmental changes and conditions not to be pressures at all. That and the fact that humans are not in isolated pockets any more is what has probably stopped natural evolution.

Kids learning whatever modern technology has to offer is not natural, biological evolution. I think people keep throwing in the loose/broad evolution term in here and its causing confusion. Yes, our culture is changing. Every decade seems to be different from the previous. But our genome has been static through those changes.

drwtsn32

Unless *only* the children who were able to learn "digital technology" (or whatever) the fastest were allowed to survive to reproductive age and the ones that couldn't were euthanized... I guess then you'd get future generations that were more adapted for "digital technology"...

Yep...absolutely. lol

Kudra

I'm sure you have heard of "memes"?

They are the same as "genes" are for biological evolution but memes are thoughts and ideas and culture that "evolves" and are passed down from generation to generation.

i think Dawkins might have coined the term (?) but there is a good wikipedia explanantion that would probably help at least the discussion here.

drwtsn32

Yeah, our culture and ideas are certianly evolving at a rapid pace, probably more rapid than any other time in human history.

but...

remember the original thought being discussed in this thread: Has biological evolution slowed or stopped for humanity? I would answer that with a resounding "Yes."

Interesting article on evolution

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