Assuming Evolution is True......

religion99 · Feb 22, 2012

Assuming Evolution is True, are the human beings in general getting more and more
intellignet or less and less intelligent with the passage of generations? Please support
your argument with concrete reasoning and evidence.

Gjallarhorn · Feb 22, 2012

Are we getting smarter - Times Of India

I'd say smarter.

CynthiaCypher · Feb 22, 2012

Gjallarhorn said:
Are we getting smarter - Times Of India

I'd say smarter.

Actually are brains are shrinking. So no.

Madhuri · Feb 22, 2012

It could go either way but the pattern is toward greater intelligence.

CynthiaCypher · Feb 22, 2012

wait I should correct myself...small brain people are breeding faster than big brain people.

CynthiaCypher · Feb 22, 2012

Madhuri said:
It could go either way but the pattern is toward greater intelligence.

Evolution as no goal so you can't really say that.

Revoltingest · Feb 22, 2012

It's complicated, & could go either.

Caution - provocative speculation below:
Our social safety net systems enable the less intelligent to compete more successfully with smartie pants types than would have been the case in past millenia.
This offers a possibility that we could see reduced genetic potential for intelligence. Is it happening? Me not know. We observe apparent increasing intelligence,
but this could be just phenotypical, rather than genetically determined.

Iti oj · Feb 22, 2012

artificial selection is messing up our gene pool

CynthiaCypher · Feb 22, 2012

Revoltingest said:
It's complicated, & could go either.

Caution - provocative speculation below:
Our social safety net systems enable the less intelligent to compete more successfully with smartie pants types than would have been the case in past millenia.
This offers a possibility that we could see reduced genetic potential for intelligence. Is it happening? Me not know. We observe apparent increasing intelligence,
but this could be just phenotypical, rather than genetically determined.

So Idiocracy was prophetic?

Madhuri · Feb 22, 2012

CynthiaCypher said:
Evolution as no goal so you can't really say that.

I think you misunderstood my post. I'm saying patterns show we are getting more intelligent. What will happen in a couple of hundred years from now I don't know. But so far, it seems our species has been getting more intelligent. Probably a survival of the fittest reasons.

Reptillian · Feb 22, 2012

I say we'll split into two species, one smart, one dumb.

Revoltingest · Feb 22, 2012

CynthiaCypher said:
So Idiocracy was prophetic?

Didn't watch that movie.
From what little I know though, the time frame is too short for a genetic explanation.
I'd chalk it up to culture.

CynthiaCypher · Feb 22, 2012

Reptillian said:
I say we'll split into two species, one smart, one dumb.

Like the Morlocks and the Eloi?

Revoltingest · Feb 22, 2012

Reptillian said:
I say we'll split into two species, one smart, one dumb.

The ole Golgafrinchan scenario, eh?
Clearly, you wouldn't dwell with the telephone sanitizers, smartie pants!

meogi · Feb 23, 2012

CinthiaCypher said:
Actually are brains are shrinking. So no.

Obviously.

Smaller brain size tends to point toward less aggressiveness and teamwork. Not necessarily a decrease in intelligence (as a population), although it might be individually.

Revoltingest · Feb 23, 2012

meogi said:
Smaller brain size tends to point toward less aggressiveness and teamwork. Not necessarily a decrease in intelligence (as a population), although it might be individually.

Chimps exemplify the opposite.....

Dirty Penguin · Feb 23, 2012

CynthiaCypher said:
So Idiocracy was prophetic?

Not sure about "phophetic" but a darn good movie (IMO).....

'But Brawndo has what plants crave! It's got electrolytes!'

:biglaugh:

Gjallarhorn · Feb 23, 2012

CynthiaCypher said:
Actually are brains are shrinking. So no.

So have computers. Your point?

meogi · Feb 23, 2012

What are electrolytes, do you even know!?

Kilgore Trout · Feb 23, 2012

Some of us are getting smarter. Most of you keep getting dumber.

Assuming Evolution is True......

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