comos - a space time odyssy

[Darryl_V]

Evolution has only one driving force, what is best able to reproduce.  Any other perceived direction or qualitative function is a misconception or selective interpretation of the type so common amongst the eugenics crowd.

We lack any actual capacity to \"destroy the planet\".  The best we could do is wipe ourselves out and render it uninhabitable for human life for a tick of the geological clock.  We are just newbs here, the Dinosaurs hung around for a couple hundred million years before they snuffed it and somehow people view them as evolutionary losers just because they eventually were replaced.

Measurement of IQ is a tricky subject and the core goal of the science is to separate measurement of mental acuity from measurement of education.  At best it remains most relevant as a comparative figure within any given socio-economic demographic.  However notwithstanding the ability to skew results by practicing any particular type of test, education doesn't affect your IQ significantly.  The Harvard grad still measures the same 130 that he did in grade 3 or 4 when he was tested and your waiter still measures at 160 just like the day he got bored of a school system built for and run by 100's and dropped out of grade 11.  Assuming no significant losses of brain tissue to recreational substance abuse....

  I agree.  I used IQ wrongly. 

I did some research and scientists agree that humans are still evolving, our brains are getting smaller and theoretically more efficient.  Like someone already mentioned, we have pretty much eliminated natural selection so I wonder what drives evolution if its not survival.

 

[Salty Cracker]

[quote author=AdInfinitum link=topic=8260.msg88756#msg88756 date=1396758224]
Evolution has only one driving force, what is best able to reproduce.  Any other perceived direction or qualitative function is a misconception or selective interpretation of the type so common amongst the eugenics crowd.

We lack any actual capacity to \"destroy the planet\".  The best we could do is wipe ourselves out and render it uninhabitable for human life for a tick of the geological clock.  We are just newbs here, the Dinosaurs hung around for a couple hundred million years before they snuffed it and somehow people view them as evolutionary losers just because they eventually were replaced.

Measurement of IQ is a tricky subject and the core goal of the science is to separate measurement of mental acuity from measurement of education.  At best it remains most relevant as a comparative figure within any given socio-economic demographic.  However notwithstanding the ability to skew results by practicing any particular type of test, education doesn't affect your IQ significantly.  The Harvard grad still measures the same 130 that he did in grade 3 or 4 when he was tested and your waiter still measures at 160 just like the day he got bored of a school system built for and run by 100's and dropped out of grade 11.  Assuming no significant losses of brain tissue to recreational substance abuse....

  I agree.  I used IQ wrongly. 

I did some research and scientists agree that humans are still evolving, our brains are getting smaller and theoretically more efficient.  Like someone already mentioned, we have pretty much eliminated natural selection so I wonder what drives evolution if its not survival.
[/quote]

Money

 

[AdInfinitum]

[quote author=Darryl_V link=topic=8260.msg88808#msg88808 date=1396821761]
[quote author=AdInfinitum link=topic=8260.msg88756#msg88756 date=1396758224]
Evolution has only one driving force, what is best able to reproduce.  Any other perceived direction or qualitative function is a misconception or selective interpretation of the type so common amongst the eugenics crowd.

We lack any actual capacity to \"destroy the planet\".  The best we could do is wipe ourselves out and render it uninhabitable for human life for a tick of the geological clock.  We are just newbs here, the Dinosaurs hung around for a couple hundred million years before they snuffed it and somehow people view them as evolutionary losers just because they eventually were replaced.

Measurement of IQ is a tricky subject and the core goal of the science is to separate measurement of mental acuity from measurement of education.  At best it remains most relevant as a comparative figure within any given socio-economic demographic.  However notwithstanding the ability to skew results by practicing any particular type of test, education doesn't affect your IQ significantly.  The Harvard grad still measures the same 130 that he did in grade 3 or 4 when he was tested and your waiter still measures at 160 just like the day he got bored of a school system built for and run by 100's and dropped out of grade 11.  Assuming no significant losses of brain tissue to recreational substance abuse....

  I agree.  I used IQ wrongly. 

I did some research and scientists agree that humans are still evolving, our brains are getting smaller and theoretically more efficient.  Like someone already mentioned, we have pretty much eliminated natural selection so I wonder what drives evolution if its not survival.
[/quote]

Money
[/quote]

Nice...and the way to make that actually drive evolution is to index reproductive rights to net personal worth.  Currently we are doing it in reverse, with the lowest income demographics having the most children.

Sultan Glen's empire is large enough that he can afford more children than one woman can produce.  Therefore it is his duty to mankind to take a few more young fertile wives to bear the fruits of his wealthy loins....

 

[Darryl_V]

Seriously, our changing environment will probably be the biggest driver.  Our eyes will adapt to view artificial screens, and our brains will become more efficient at multi-tasking. These are just guesses. I've also read that we will continue to lose hair till we have none.

 

[AdamS]

I've also read that we will continue to lose hair till we have none.

I hope not too quick, my wife makes a living removing it!