Do you believe that humans will evolve further?

Question

I don't just mean develop small changes over time like get taller or get better eyesight. I mean barring any extinction level event (which would wipe everything out anyway) - do you think humans are as evolved as it's going to get for life forms on Earth. With our large brains and wealth of information that we have on hand, what adaptation could possibly crop up through random mutation that would actually catch on and help out species survive? It seems now like the most useful adaptations and changes should come from our technology. What are some of your thoughts?

Answer 1

Human beings ARE evolving. As long as a selective pressure exists, evolution will take place. The selective pressure is far lower in the human race than it is in other species - but even still, it exists. A low selective pressure, of course, leads to a low rate of evolution. Besides, the time-scale of evolution is much longer than the time-scale of modern civilization.

At least in the more developed regions of the world, the selective pressure is no longer based in survival but in reproduction and passing of genes to the next generation. Not everybody breeds, of course, and people who have qualities making them more desirable to the opposite s*x, such as visual attractiveness and whatnot, are more likely to pass on their genes. Of course, some consider this "evolution" to be going backwards ("retrograde") if "nice guys finish last" or something like that.

With regards to amazing animal abilities that humans lack, then, such as godly reflexes (try catching a lizard) - we are not going to develop those anytime soon, because the selective pressure doesn't exist.

Of course, even though the most intelligent of individuals don't necessarily have the highest chance of passing on their genes, it is certainly true that the least intelligent people in any generation have an even lower chance of doing so. For this reason we observe something called the "Flynn effect" which is the global rise in IQ score averages by a few points per decade.

Now, for the rest of your question - yes, it is true that we have the entire world's input at the touch of a button, but it is not clear how much change this has really caused. If you want to book a flight or something like that, it makes it more convenient, but I don't see that a more intelligent person would have an easier time doing it manually (what does manually mean, anyways? Driving to the airport and going to the desk?) And sometimes, it may be as difficult to find the information you're looking for on the Internet as it is in a book.

Still, the most intelligent people of any generation, the true visionaries, raise the bar for the rest of the human race. An example? I may live to see the day when all of our menial jobs are done by robots. Then they won't be available for humans - raising the bar.

In the distant future there will probably come a time when all jobs are in the "quaternary" industry - related to information rather than resources, manufacturing, or services. Some less-intelligent genes won't be able to keep up. Again, the bar rises constantly.

In the very distant future, evolution should finally come to a halt if we choose to live in a perfect world of simulated reality rather than in the real world. But that may never happen.

Answer 2

I think humans are at a dead end in regards to evolution through natural selection.  Not because our species can not evolve, but because it will be far too slow to satisfy the humans of the future.  How far in the future is anyone's guess, but it will be sooner than the emergence of significant new characteristics or sapien subspecies via natural selection.  Science and medicine will continue to advance and we will 'evolve' into something that the future humans see as 'better', but through applied technology, rather than natural selection.  At some point, our human corporeal form may seem to our future selves as unnecessary.  Will we be machine?  or Biological?  Does it even matter,as our bodies are a 'system' anyway you look at it?

Answer 3

Humans are nowhere near as evolved as life can be on Earth. Aside from moderately large brains, we are fairly generalized animals. Even in the brain department, we have neither the largest brains nor the largest brains relative to body weight. Otherwise we are fairly generalized mammals. If you want highly-evolved forms, look at the horses or hummingbirds.

You've been brainwashed by egocentrism. "Animals are classified thusly, Man and the Lower Animals. Man does the classifying. (Ambrose Bierce)

Likely, trends that have already started will continue. We will, for example, probably lose out wisdom teeth. Big deal.

Answer 4

no cause evoulution is a MYTH

Answer 5

I've felt 'ear lids' would be useful, in this age of man-made mechanical noise.

Answer 6

since we really have no predators and we are the greatest predator ourselves, i don't see much for evolution. also, with so many humans on the earth now, if there were to be any major evolution, it would just probably create a new 'species' of human, and not affect all.  

PS.. the bible is a myth..

Answer 7

NO!! Evolution is a myth!!

God didnt say anything in the Bible about evoloution or us evolving..therefore its a man made theory

this is my personal view anyway

Answer 8

You mean with ethics and technology getting in the way of natural selection? Fat chance.

I'm no eugenicist, but I hope we could make a system that selects smart people, don't you agree?

Answer 9

We are continuously evolving and will continue to do so. I would like to be frozen/suspended for 5000 years and see what evolution has wrought on the human species. Problem is that I would probably be considered such a freak that I would spend the rest of my life in a laboratory  someplace. That's providing, of course, that I could even breath the air. And who knows; Humanity may have ceased to exist or moved elsewhere by that time.

Answer 10

I think that there is still room for technological evolution and advancement, but that as far as the evolution of the human being, I think not.  When you think about it, changes in modern medicine have actually effectively  weakened the gene pool, allowing people who would not have normally survived to actually grow up and reproduce, therefore passing on weaker traits.