So I was doing some random thinking the other day while I was on a long 3 hour drive.
Other animals are slowly "perfected" through means of natural selection and darwin's theory... meaning that the better an animal can survive the more offspring it can produce.
Since humans don't really follow this natural cycle, are we actually ruining our genes?
Before you post, I do realize that we follow the cycle to an extent, like if you have an extreme gene mutation you die early, or sometimes never make it full term in the womb.
But I also realize that even the fat guy that lives off the government and doesn't provide for his family can still easily reproduce by means of prostitution and I guess rape.
Do improvements in health care make us a weaker species throughout time?

This post was edited by Jonasfcb on Mar 22 2010 12:20pm

You know my stance on this.

We are definitely on a downgraded slope.

Simple answer, no. Thats not how evolution works. Theres no pressure for any major shift in allele frequency right now, and who knows, in the future some global catastrophe might favor your so called weaker genes. The gene that gives Sickle cell anemia, for example, arose in Africa as a mutation that enhances resistance to malaria.

By keeping our population filled with as many genotypes as possible, we're increasing our potential to survive a global pandemic or catastrophe. That fat guy might survive a lot better than a skinny dude if the average global temp dropped 30 degrees.

This is true, but there is also some instances where the medicines that we are taking, among many other things, is making us overall more acceptable to illness.

And yes, we probably are not back-peddling, but we are slowing the evolution of our subconscious.

Either way this is a hard subject to debate. I believe it not to have a wrong or right answer.

How do you know if you're slowing the evolution of your subconscious? Its subconscious for a reason.

Personally I have tapped into mine. I even have dreams at night seeing what the other versions of me are doing in there universe.

They're dreams. That doesn't mean they're real.

I do not think we can "ruin" our genes. As Sioux said that's not how evolution really happens. Anyways technology basically replaces any need to evolve anymore

I can understand why you would assume that, it seems far out there.
Sometimes I even question it myself, but it is true and is not impossible, so please do not think that I am full of shit.
The theory of a multiverse is correct. When I have the dreams, I basically see 2-3 different out comes to the same situation, not all in 1 dream mind you, but over a few nights. Then it could be days, weeks, even months down the line, but eventually I find myself in the same situation that I dreamed.
Imagine having the knowledge of what a few of the vast outcomes of the situation is, ofc you think that would be awesome and beneficial.
And at first it was, but now it is just getting to be too much to process. It kind of has me going nuts, but at the same time, I never want it to stop.

This post was edited by Bear_Grylls on Mar 22 2010 03:32pm

id have to disagree. if you were a female and were raped, do you think you would carry the child? perhaps if you were quite religious, however i on the other hand would get an abortion. also prostitutes that become pregnant wouldnt be able to really work so i dont see why they wouldnt get an abortion unless they use the child. either way biological success is not just being able to reproduce, its also the survival of the offspring to a point where it is able to reproduce.

This post was edited by cialda on Mar 22 2010 03:31pm