Inheriting The Earth

[Runt]

Do you believe a mortal being more spiritually or mentally advanced than humans will one day come to dwell on this earth?

 

[Pah]

Do you believe a mortal being more spiritually or mentally advanced than humans will one day come to dwell on this earth?

Yes, I belive it is quite possible for mental capacity to increase in the general population to the point that it warrants the establishment of a new species. That is, of course, if you only consider the genetic pool available on earth.

If evolution is a univeral process, then I can consider that human beings may have already been surpassed. If earth is ever found by such creatures, they may well come here to share or conquer

 

[Green Gaia]

Yes, I agree with what Pah said. I also think that given enough time and if we don't blow ourselves up first, that humans have the potential to evolve into a higher form both spiritually and mentally.

 

[Ronald]

Do you believe a mortal being more spiritually or mentally advanced than humans will one day come to dwell on this earth?

In the restoration, there will be an Eden, with Adam/mankind, full of the knowlege of God as it was before the fall. Even better the Heavenly Jerusalem will come down from Heaven.

 

[Sunstone]

As I understand it, evolution is no longer likely because for it to occur, a comparatively small portion of the gene pool would first need to become isolated from the rest of the gene pool for a period of tens or hundreds of generations. Humans travel and mingle too much for that to happen. Hence, it is unlikely our species will give rise to a daughter species

 

[Pah]

As I understand it, evolution is no longer likely because for it to occur, a comparatively small portion of the gene pool would first need to become isolated from the rest of the gene pool for a period of tens or hundreds of generations. Humans travel and mingle too much for that to happen. Hence, it is unlikely our species will give rise to a daughter species

From what I was just taught (my wife teaches biology) it is the dominance or recessiveness of the mutated gene that makes the difference. Variation by isolated locality are called adaptations and may or may not evolve into a new species but may show signs of being "different" i.e., black skin for humans, varied coloring for birds, prominent eyebrows for weather protection.

Each child has a 50% chance of carrying a dominante gene from one parent which will be expressed. A recessive gene will be passed along the same way and may be expressed if a mate is found with the same mutation. Now having said all that (and gotten concurrance from my wife), I'll say that Biology for Dummies is way over my head. but there are mathematical "laws" that can show how genes (dominate or recessive) are transferred so off to Google.

How are Traits passed from Generation to Generation? See the section on Mendel

 

[Sunstone]

Pah,

So, if I understand you correctly, then it would be possible for humans to give rise to a daughter species without some portion of humans first beccming reproductively isolated from the rest? In a way, that's cheery news! Means we might have a sucessor species!

 

[Pah]

Pah,

So, if I understand you correctly, then it would be possible for humans to give rise to a daughter species without some portion of humans first beccming reproductively isolated from the rest? In a way, that's cheery news! Means we might have a sucessor species!

Yeah - but we're talking thousands and thousands (probably millions and millions) of generations.

It might be quicker to make the "isolation" but how would you determine which mutation and subsequent mutations are desireable in order to increase the "density". I would think that would be genetic engineering and not true evolution.

 

[Sunstone]

Genetically engineering humans scares me. I'm no ludite, but I wonder who would get to decide what was a desireable trait in a genetically engineered human? Better to leave that up to nature. What do you think?

 

[Pah]

Genetically engineering humans scares me. I'm no ludite, but I wonder who would get to decide what was a desireable trait in a genetically engineered human? Better to leave that up to nature. What do you think?

I agree but I would consider genetic correction for disease.

 

[Sunstone]

Pah,

Yes, if we could eliminate sickle cell anemia, for instance…or diabetes, etc…the risks might be worth it

 

[Pah]

Pah,

Yes, if we could eliminate sickle cell anemia, for instance…or diabetes, etc…the risks might be worth it

The odd thing about sickle cell anemia is that when a child gets it from only one parent, it confers a protection against malaria. It is only a health risk when the child receives it from both parents.

But definetly diabetes which underlies and complictaes other diseases

 

[Pah]

I'm afraid we're waaaaay off topic and I apologize.

 

[Pah]

It seems that the amount of energy available to the brain may place evolutionary limits on how much larger the brain in the human species can be thus limiting a higher intelligence.

Solving the Brain's Energy Crisis

 

[Runt]

Not to mention there is probably a limit to how large the brain can be-- it if gets too big and heavy and the body does not become stronger, the spinal cord could snap or other problems could occur. A "smarter" being could die before it has a chance to pass on its genes, thus preventing evolution.

Thus, we'd have to evolve or adapt in more ways than just BRAIN size: bones might have to become more dense or simply larger, muscles might have to become stronger, etc.

 

[phantom]

i believe that the human species will create its own evolution through science before the natural process will take root.

aka. look at the prescription drugs we take...is this not in a way affecting our evolution?

think about it. are we adapting to a new scientific environment, in essence, creating our own evolution?

more thoughts please!

 

[Runt]

Possibly. We might get fed up with waiting for evolution to occur, and use genetic engineering to "hurry it along". Or we might use genetic engineering for more... moral uses (like to cure genetic disease)... and in the process effect other changes that could cause us to evolve. (And please note that "evolve" does not necessarily mean we become more advanced... it is just a term used to describe a change in the gene pool great enough to qualify as a new species. We could, for example, screw up the intelligence of genetically engineered "humans" while at the same time creating something that gives these less intelligent beings a better chance of surviving than us-- like great strength and odd "powers" allowing the new creatures to completely wipe out humanity and replace us as the dominant species on Earth.)

 

[Yerda]

More sophisticated re-wiring of the brain's neurons may be a possible way of achieving superior brain power from a similar or even smaller sized brain.

Selective pressure is one force that could possibly alter human evolution, but most of human endeavour throughout history has been concentrated on removing selective pressure. Genetic mutation is another possibility. Not quite X-men but slight changes can generate speciation eventually I'm led to believe.

Nothing to prevent other species of human developing from other primates I suppose (except maybe God if it exists). But I doubt that another species competitive to humans will ever have the chance to evolve on this planet.

 

[Sam Bloom]

So, what about some culture wandering around in the rainforest, who has never had the opportunity to hear about religion, God, etc. Are they automatically atheist, and sentenced to hell along with half of the population on earth?

Or is their some kind of sub-hell provision for them? Or are they kept in the sub-heaven with all the babies that die, not knowing. I'm not even sure what is supposed to happen in that case.

I bet what is really tough is doing all the sorting for heaven, hell, or holding place, as there are probably several million folks who die any given second.

 

[Sunstone]

So, what about some culture wandering around in the rainforest, who has never had the opportunity to hear about religion, God, etc. Are they automatically atheist, and sentenced to hell along with half of the population on earth?

Or is their some kind of sub-hell provision for them? Or are they kept in the sub-heaven with all the babies that die, not knowing. I'm not even sure what is supposed to happen in that case.

I bet what is really tough is doing all the sorting for heaven, hell, or holding place, as there are probably several million folks who die any given second.

Sam,

It's good to hear from you again! However, I'm confused about what wandering tribes and sub-hells have to do with this thread???? Those are good questions you ask. But shouldn't they be in the thread "Admittence to heaven"?