Are human beings done evolving?

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In summary, the conversation discusses various aspects of evolution and its mechanisms. It is suggested that the Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium describes the necessary conditions for evolution to stop, and that there are active selection pressures in our environment that can affect a group's reproductive capacity. The difference between evolution and adaptation is also questioned, with the clarification that evolution refers to changes in a species over time, not in an individual. The possibility of a genetic component in certain behaviors, such as reckless driving, is also discussed.
  • #1
Kutt
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Are human beings still evolving or is homo sapien the final stage of evolution?

If we're not done evolving, have scientists hypothesized what the next stage of evolution might be like?
 
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  • #3
Paraphrasing from another thread:
Morse said:
The Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium describes the necessary events for evolution to stop.
1) A population must be large
2) No mutations may occur
3) Mating must be random
4) No migration
5) No differential reproductive success
https://www.physicsforums.com/showthread.php?p=3295080#post3295080
 
  • #4
Is evolution the same as adaptation or is there a difference? I'm thinking if a person can adapt to something but its not passed on geneticly than its not evolution. Is that correct?
 
  • #5
Elite Jacob said:
Is evolution the same as adaptation or is there a difference? I'm thinking if a person can adapt to something but its not passed on geneticly than its not evolution. Is that correct?

Evolution is the change in a species over time, not the change in an individual. A single organism does not evolve. Hit up the stickied post on evolution at the top of this forum.
 
  • #6
There are mechanism within our environment which act to increase/reduce a groups reproductive capacity - often called selection pressures.

I would suggest that there is currently active selection against young men who like fast cars :-)
 
  • #7
peter09 said:
I would suggest that there is currently active selection against young men who like fast cars :-)
I know this is in jest but this isn't correct because it implies that young men who don't drive recklessly do so because of a genetic component. Be careful when examining traits to think about all the possible causes, don't just chalk it up to genetics.
 
  • #8
Ryan_m_b said:
I know this is in jest but this isn't correct because it implies that young men who don't drive recklessly do so because of a genetic component..

Well, you can't be sure there is NO genetic component to this type of behavior :wink:
 
  • #9
Borek said:
Well, you can't be sure there is NO genetic component to this type of behavior :wink:
Of course, my point is that there is insufficient evidence to support any proposition that there is :smile:
 
  • #10
I know this is in jest but this isn't correct because it implies that young men who don't drive recklessly do so because of a genetic component. Be careful when examining traits to think about all the possible causes, don't just chalk it up to genetics.

In the spirit of interested discussion, and acknowledging that I am pretty ignorant about the details of evolution can I ask the following:

Does selection actually have to act on the genetic component of 'fast car driving' ... if the selection pressure is strong enough then selection FOR the 'playing computer games at home' genetic component could become dominant.

So - sort of - does a behavior have to have a genetic component to be selected against?
 
Last edited:

1. Are human beings still evolving?

Yes, human beings are still evolving. Evolution is an ongoing process that occurs over long periods of time. While the rate of evolution may have slowed down due to advancements in technology and medicine, human beings are still adapting to their changing environment and undergoing genetic changes.

2. Will humans eventually stop evolving?

It is unlikely that humans will ever completely stop evolving. As long as there are environmental pressures and changes, evolution will continue to occur. However, it is possible that the rate of evolution may slow down significantly in the future.

3. How do we know that humans are still evolving?

There is evidence of human evolution through the study of genetics and fossils. Genetic studies have shown that certain traits, such as lactose tolerance, have evolved in humans over time. Fossil records also show physical changes in our ancestors, such as increased brain size and bipedalism.

4. What factors drive human evolution?

Environmental pressures, such as climate change and availability of resources, play a major role in driving human evolution. Other factors, such as sexual selection and genetic drift, also contribute to the evolution of human beings.

5. Can humans control their own evolution?

While humans can influence the direction of their evolution through selective breeding and genetic engineering, the overall process of evolution is largely driven by natural selection and environmental factors. Humans may be able to control certain aspects of their evolution, but the overall process is still ongoing and largely out of our control.

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