AKA: HUMANITY AND NATURAL SELECTION
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Once upon a time, humans were little more than animals. We had our proper place in the food chain and everything. When we developed tools, we moved up in the chain. A trend that has continued with every advancement we've made. Our species is so secure that we go to great lengths to help those among us that are crippled or diseased. Our gene pool has been made larger and we fired the pool-boy. So the question is this-

"Is Humanity still subject to natural selection as we have been for thousands of years, or have our many technological discoveries managed to take us to a new level?"

Our many technologies have taken us to a new level.

i sense a distinct lack of 'shit-stirring' >_>

We are still affected by natural selection. We do not successfully help every individual who has a genetically transmissible physical or mental ailment. As a society, we choose who is worthy of this kind of assistance on one hand, but are also still limited by our abilities. For natural selection to be gone completely, I think that there would have to be zero barriers for anyone with any ailment from 'breeding'.

He asked if we're still subject to it - yes, have our advances taken us to a new level? yes.

We keep alive people who would die if left to nature, but that doesn't mean we are no longer subject to it all.

No shit to stir in this thread - it was a decent question. It could have been worded better, but an easy question none the less with an easy answer.

Sorry, let me give it another shot then...something a tad bit more open ended....


Natural selection is (basically) the process by which the ill-suited perish and the well-suited thrive. 'Survival of the fittest', if you will. The merest whim of nature need not bother us- a hard winter does not kill half our tribe as it once may have. How then, may evolution continue to affect us? Are we moving from Natural selection to Societal selection? Technological selection? What does this imply for humanity? Where are we going?

Here's something to think about. The areas in the world that tend to be least effected by technological advances, have the least access to prime medical care, etc, are the places where the population is rising fastest. Where, in places like America and Europe, except for immigration we aren't reproducing fast enough to sustain our population.

Now zoom in a bit on any given area of the U.S. Who are having the most kids? Is it the well educated, successful executive/professional/academic types? No, its the low-functioning people at the bottom of the scale. Crack whores, trailor trash, hayseeds, etc.

I a sense, natural selection has been reversed, the "fittest" aren't surviving, and the low-functioning are reproducing like rabits on the "fittests'" dime.

Scary version: Logans Run
Funny version: George Jestson
Fantasy version: West World
The here and now: yet to be anticipated

I feel this generation is yet to be on the edge of foreseeing many possibilities unfathomable. I also feel technological robot being is coming into place. Only the socially elite will benefit from the actual outcome of pro-longed life and genetic manufacturing as scientist continue to maintain new and higher explorations of earthly existence. Who knows what is in the wings and the one waiting to make the discovery..

Sherri