Are we evolving into smarter beings?

Are we getting smarter?

I mean we were once in tress, then in caves, then in huts, then in buildings. Does this mean we are evolving as a group into smarter or as a individual.

Our intelligence isn't increasing, only our knowledge. So through the more knowledge we obtain, the more it push's our potential of intelligence.

For instance. A fully grown man who has never read a book would generally be seen as less intellegent than a literate person. He had the potential for greater intellegence, he just didn't have the knowledge.
So as our knowledge of this universe increases we appear to becoming smarter. But we are actually just becoming more knowledgable, increasing our potential.

The question is, what is the limit to our potential?
I think the limit will be knowledge we cannot perceive, for example God.

IMO

I don't hold to the theory of evolution, so my opinion may differ from others.

Originally posted by surfup
Are we getting smarter?

I mean we were once in tress, then in caves, then in huts, then in buildings. Does this mean we are evolving as a group into smarter or as a individual.

Knowlege is most definately increasing, only technologically within the past 150 yrs have we really advanced quickly, more so than any other time in history and so close together. Individually and as a group

Genetically, we're not getting smarter. We just have more informationat our fingetips to absorb. And, minus selective breeding, we won't get anywhere. In fact, the human genepool is going down in quality, thanks to modern medicine.

Think about it- how many of you are diabetics, or needed anitbiotics to save your lives at one point or another? Most of us, right?

Well, we'd be flat out dead by now. Instead, we live on and pass on 'weaker' genes to our offspring. We ebat the system, so to speak, but it does have its price.

DE

I do hold to the theory of evolution. So I would argue that we had too evolve intelectually. We must have gotten smarty as our species evolved from whatever. Now, we do have more knowledge at our fingertips like said above. This is how we know about things like DNA, Dinosaurs, and logical interpretations of biblical stories as just stories. One catch though. Evolution is based on the principal that only the best genes will get passed on to the next generation. The slowest animal will get eaten, and his slow genes will not pass on. As humans, we in our sympathy keep those around who would have been killed by an alligator or bear 10 thousand years ago. So I think we are hurting our chances of getting much smarter.

[Edited on 11/23/2003 by Seapeople]

Originally posted by DeusEx
Genetically, we're not getting smarter. We just have more informationat our fingetips to absorb. And, minus selective breeding, we won't get anywhere. In fact, the human genepool is going down in quality, thanks to modern medicine.

Think about it- how many of you are diabetics, or needed anitbiotics to save your lives at one point or another? Most of us, right?

Well, we'd be flat out dead by now. Instead, we live on and pass on 'weaker' genes to our offspring. We ebat the system, so to speak, but it does have its price.

DE

I hate to say it but you are right. But at the same time what you are talking about is eugenics which is what hitler believed in when he caused the holocaust! He wanted to get rid of the weaker genes so to speak.
It a very difficult subject to think about.

mmm theres not really a lot of selective pressure on the brain at the moment. So no, i dont think we evolve into more clever humans..maybe we are even gettin dumber, sometimes it really looks like this. I mean the people in high places, like Bush, are not the most clever ones [not always ofcourse, dont get med], not to mention mr terminator..so it looks like we gettin dumber yeah

i think some of us are getting smarter. you can't really say everyone is... but some of us might have been lucky enough to have been "bred" the right way. but then you have people put into power that obviously DIDN'T get the right genes *cough*bush*cough* and that makes me worry.

Originally posted by surfup
Are we getting smarter?

Define "smarter."

No, I'm not being a smart-alec, here. Our brains have been evolving and new functions have been added (the ability to speak.) We develop certain skills as civilization becomes more complex (did you know that one great revolution of Roman times was learning how to read silently (without moving your lips)? Tis' true. For a long while, the only way people knew how to read was to pronounce the text as they read it.)

It's really more "different" than "smarter." To look at it more objectively, you really can't say that a sabre-toothed tiger is "smarter" than a modern tiger (yeah, I know. Tigers aren't descended from them, but if I gave the tiger ancestor, nobody would know what it was.) Or that Eohippus is less (or more) intelligent than modern horse.

We're different. Our ancestors couldn't cope with our environment -- but we couldn't have coped with theirs.

Let me rephrase the question: Are we learning to cope with our environment more better than our ancestors did

or as we gaining more knowledge, aren't we stimulating our brain more than our ancestors did.

Here's the problem: Normally in evolution the smarter survives longer or better and mates, therefore continueing the smart gene. But the smart people in our society are the ones participating in orgiastic parties producing a bunch of kids

Video Games Improve Visual Skills

wierd. I clicked edit, but this came up.



[Edited on 21-11-2003 by MrRadicalEd]

[Edited on 21-11-2003 by MrRadicalEd]

we cope with our environment, but the human gene pool is rapidly decreasing in quality. That would be the problem.

DE

Originally posted by surfup
Let me rephrase the question: Are we learning to cope with our environment more better than our ancestors did

or as we gaining more knowledge, aren't we stimulating our brain more than our ancestors did.

Since we change our enviroment faster than actually adapting ourselves, no. You can say we are getting kind of comfortable in the enviroment we are setting ourselves up for.

Intelligence as a communitity and a civilized group has increased exponentially.

But, the power goes out, the satalites crash, the computers no longer work, no more gas for cars..


Does anybody think they remember how to feed themselves? Hunt? Grow crops, and heal oneself, without modern medicine?


Our intelligence is based on our collective environment,..but if necessary how many of us would really survive two hundred years ago, or farther back.

Originally posted by smirkley



Does anybody think they remember how to feed themselves? Hunt? Sharpen a rock and make a few crude spears and a bow and some arrows, work up as my crafting technique improves.
Grow crops, cultivate, plant, and hope like hell it rains. Possibly get some nieghbord to help with some ditches

and heal oneself, without modern medicine? Screw it, they all died at forty anyway. They had no good techniques. Wash your hands like hell and hope for the best.

smirkley,
Nice.
I agree.
But I also contend that with technological advances comes complacency.....knowledge abounds but its like a dual edged sword....society or individuals rely more so on the ease of accessing such and then that produces an increased tendency to "believe" what one reads or sees or hears.....
You take all the technology away and your back to people actually and literally seeking for the truth instead of using technology or just "punching" it up.....
With such ease and access to knowledge, the system itself is more susceptiable to corruption and the "path to truth" becomes obscured.


regards
seekerof

[Edited on 21-11-2003 by Seekerof]

Originally posted by smirkley
Intelligence as a communitity and a civilized group has increased exponentially.

Does anybody think they remember how to feed themselves? Hunt? Grow crops, and heal oneself, without modern medicine?

I accept not many people can survive in the open, but I'm sure we will learn, faster than our ancestors would if they were presented to our environment.

Back in Greece, think about the value of individuality and non-conformity. Most of the people followed others and didn't think for themselves.

Take for example ATS, most of people here fight ignorance. Not all but many. That number has increased, meaning we are getting smarter, right?

I think of it more as a breaking even action.

DE

I think people are smatter becouse fo travel.
back 100s of years ago people staid in thair villigs
and now people travel all over the world wicth
makes unlikly to hit your own gene pool . let me no what you think