The discussion revolves around the ongoing nature of human evolution, with participants debating whether evolution has ceased or is still occurring, potentially at an accelerated rate. The conversation touches on the implications of modern medicine, societal changes, and genetic variation in the context of evolutionary processes.
Participants generally agree that evolution is ongoing, but there is no consensus on the mechanisms or implications of this evolution, particularly regarding the role of modern society and medicine.
Participants acknowledge the complexity of modern selection pressures and the limitations in understanding how these pressures operate in contemporary society, as well as the uncertainty surrounding future evolutionary outcomes.
...the ridiculous idea that evolution has stopped for us. It hasn't, and in fact is probably accelerating, in the sense that we've removed many selective forces that would have culled back variants in the past—we're accumulating novelties in our genomes faster than before. It should also be self-evident that not everyone has children, and different people have different numbers of children, and people have different levels of success in raising healthy children to adulthood. The only way one could think evolution has stopped is if one has a very poor idea of what evolution is.
Can anyone explain or give some examples of what s/he's talking about here? Does he mean that things like medicine and charity have kept some people alive and reproductive, allowing the population to become more diverse?It hasn't, and in fact is probably accelerating, in the sense that we've removed many selective forces that would have culled back variants in the past—we're accumulating novelties in our genomes faster than before.
honestrosewater said:Can anyone explain or give some examples of what s/he's talking about here? Does he mean that things like medicine and charity have kept some people alive and reproductive, allowing the population to become more diverse?