Evolution makes mistakes

Discussion in 'Off-Topic' started by Agirgis1, Jan 7, 2018.

  1. Tweek516

    Tweek516 I need me some PIE!

    New scientist ran an article a while back about how our brains are very poorly equipped to deal with today's society, which is what I guess you're getting at agir.

    I think they used an example that, in emergency situations, a lot of our brain kinda shuts down, and you work off instinct more than thought. Of course this was great when the solution to the emergency was to run away from the lion in front of you, not so great if you're an airplane pilot with your plane in a critical condition. Apparently that's why they have to train so hard - to make the correct responses to this situation instinctual.

    That said, I don't have the article to hand so take what I say with a pinch of salt. Plus I'm always a little skeptical of the new scientist anyway.
     
  2. Agirgis1

    Agirgis1 Forum Royalty

    I have heard of this concept before, it is similar to different sports/jobs where you have to train very hard to over-ride your flinching mechanic.
    I think dodging technique in boxing is an interesting example of this, although our instincts are good at dodging, modern combat requires you have a really slight (yet effective) dodge as to still be in position to counter. (rather than an instinctive step-back or so)
     
  3. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    I am fairly convinced evolution no longer applies to humans. We have evolved to a point where we literally control and change our environment to suit our needs at a pace that far exceeds the evolutionary process. We are self-selecting traits (and in some cases keeping "bad" traits in the gene pool), etc. It's a whole different ball game with humans.
     
  4. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    We don't like allergies? Crippling allergies may, at one point, have doomed those who suffer from it, being unable to see/breathe properly, etc. would be a great disadvantage 5000 years ago. But now? We just pop some pills or spray some stuff into our nose or just take the day off. Can't see properly and need "glasses?" 5000 years ago you'd just be dead from being unable to see. Now it's just something half the population deals with easily and it's fine.
     
  5. Geressen

    Geressen Forum Royalty

    you mean natural selection and did not account for genetic drift.

    actually being exposed to natural light and looking at distant object such as "not indoors with screens reading books" makes eyes develop more like they should, true you would still get catharacts because that is what UV dammage does to eyes but whatevs/
     
  6. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    That's my point though, we've changed our environment to the point where how we live has a greater impact on how we develop than evolution.
     
  7. Geressen

    Geressen Forum Royalty

    but the enviroment always had a greater impact on us as individuals than evolution.
    it is just that the impact of spending time in cities reading and looking at screens is harmfull for the eye.
    evolution affects species. if you suppose that by changing the odds we stop evolution you are wrong. we changed the selection criteria, if individuals match the new criteria and are able to FIT into the modern world then evolution still goes on. if you want to argue that someone that is the fittest individual to hold down an office job and the fittest individual to hunt down a gazelle are not the same individual you are correct.
     
  8. Tweek516

    Tweek516 I need me some PIE!

    Is there any correlation between being successful in this way (e.g. holding down a good job) and having more children though? I would hazard a guess that the more 'successful' people actually have fewer children.
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2018
  9. Geressen

    Geressen Forum Royalty

    it was an example.
    it depends on circumstance for a large part.
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2018
  10. Ragic

    Ragic I need me some PIE!

     
    Geressen likes this.
  11. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    The difference is that we now control the environment.
     
  12. Geressen

    Geressen Forum Royalty

    we do not or so do beavers and bison.
    depending on which direction you are taking enviroment.
     
  13. Alakhami

    Alakhami I need me some PIE!

    to a fairly limited extent.
     
  14. Tweek516

    Tweek516 I need me some PIE!

    I think we definitely control our environment to a huge extent. We can control temperature, food, make shelter etc.

    What do you mean limited? I'd say it's fairly unlimited what we can do, except for controlling the weather (which we can predict and work around anyway).
     
  15. Geressen

    Geressen Forum Royalty

    i would say we can influence and work around but not control it.

    That still doesn't stop evolution because it doesn't stop selection or genetic drift unless you can guarantee that your population is so genetically homogenous that it basically produces a clone of every individual for each generation. Or skip straight to cloning.
     
    Alakhami likes this.
  16. Alakhami

    Alakhami I need me some PIE!

    What Geressen said.
     
  17. Ragic

    Ragic I need me some PIE!

    what is the selective pressure to breed these days?
     
  18. Agirgis1

    Agirgis1 Forum Royalty

    Other male species constantly reminding you of your lack of said reproductive procedure.

    Being 40 (or above) and in the club

    Some-what increased feeling of emptiness by certain age. (Which is only an illusion, you'll probably feel empty anyway) :D
     
  19. Sokolov

    Sokolov The One True Cactuar Octopi

    To an extreme extent, relative to how evolution adapts to the environment. That's the context with which we are discussing this.

    There is going to be a lot of stuff that we "evolved" with that don't make sense anymore because of how much we can control our environment. Even things like skin pigment doesn't matter anymore because we have AC/Shelter/Sunscreen, etc..
     
    Tweek516 likes this.
  20. Geressen

    Geressen Forum Royalty

    ya ok.
    the idea that evolution and selection stops because of how we use technology and medicine is a common misconception. we merely slightly changed the selection parameters.
     

Share This Page