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MrFun
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of Iowa
Nov 2000
time: 23:18
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I was just wondering and thinking about this myself lately.
We know how humans have incredible power to change their environment, and ultimately, their planet. No other animal ever had that kind of power here on Earth, for better or worse.
But, what about our own evolution as Homo Sapiens Sapiens??
Are we still naturally evolving along nature's course, or have we gained so much autonomous power over nature, that we are no longer within the bounds of natural evolution?? In other words, have we created and entered a new course, such as accelerated artificial evolution??
With the progress of genetic research and bio-technology, it's plausible, isn't it?
Perhaps Homo Sapiens Sapiens will evolve into an entirely new descendant species thousands of years earlier than it would have occured in natural evolution. Perhaps Homo Sapiens Sapiens will evolve into a new descendant species that would not have otherwise developed through natural evolution.
Accelerated artificial evolution is something I thought of, unless I coincidentally took a term that has already been used before in similar discussions such as this.
Any ideas, comments, thoughts?? 
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Darsnan
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New Syracuse, Beta Prime
Dec 2001
time: 00:18
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quote:
Originally posted by ranskaldan
Human beings, at least those in rich nations (which applies basically to any apolytoner), aren't really subject to natural selection any more. |
As a member of a "rich nation", I have to disgree with the above statement completely. I am reminded every time that I go to the supermarket that evolution, or "survival of the fittest", or "best adapted to their environment", is still at work: where I, as a relatively tall person, can reach the fruits and vegetables even at the tops of the tallest shelves in the supermarket, people who did not receive the same genetic blessing do not have the same opportunity to the diversity of nutrition that is available to me. Also, because of this same trait, females, who are typically shorter than I am, often ask me for assistance in obtaining items on the top shelves, or that are too heavy/ bulky for them to move. This is of course a natural lead-in for romantic discussion, which gives me an advantage, or , dare I say, "Leg Up", in assuring genetic dispersion of my progeny! 
Evolution is alive and well, and will continue apace, depending on the environment available to it! 
D
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Ethelred
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So how come my parents are dead?
Everyone dies still. Dumb people die sooner.
If you don't think so perhaps this will change your mind.
http://www.darwinawards.com/
Evolution in action is what I call it. Here is what they call it.
The Darwin Awards salute the improvement of
the human genome by honoring those who accidentally
kill themselves in really stupid ways.
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Ethelred
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Big if. And it does matter the grandkids die before they reproduce because they thought sniffing glue was cool. That little item amplifies stupidity.
I once had a conversation with a teenager that had sniffed too much glue. Very sad. He actually knew that he once was smarter. My friends weren't quite stupid enough to find that one out the hard way. Of course some did other things. I was in high school in the late 60's so there was a lot strange stuff going around. Little of it though was as bad or as permanent as glue.
Fortunatly nerds and runners don't usually try that sort of stuff. Runners can't afford the lung damage. Especially with the way smog was in Southern California then. Sometimes it hurt to breathe so why make things worse than the air was allready doing.
Now occasionaly dumb people may manage to reproduce faster than they kill themselves off but if times get hard things change. They are more likely to be drafted and more likely to get dead once drafted.
Fortunatly a lot dumb humans don't actually have bad genes. Bad food and nutrition will do a good job of emulating inherent stupidity. This has actually been tested experimentally.
Of course nothing except drugs and booze can make a smart person stupid enough to get a Darwin award. Well maybe bad luck but only rarely.
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23-03-2002 08:15
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