I'm not a scientist, nor do I have studies, evidence or any facts to back up anything I say, but this idea has been bugging for quite a while and I just thought I would write it down.

Let's start from the top:
If you actually have half a brain then you know that we evolved through natural selection over millions of years. We know that natural selection works by the genetic code changing in each generation and those that inherit the most powerful or beneficial genes then go on to breed and pass those useful traits onto their offspring. Each new generation produces their own useful and inhibiting traits. Those with traits that do not help them, do not get the chance to breed through not being chosen by a mate or being killed. Those with powerful traits then get to breed and so on it goes.
Slowly, but surely, we have become the race that we are today. So through this evolution, nature has crafted (I mean this not in a literal sense, and not that nature is an actual entity) one of the most (if not the most) intelligent and sophisticated organisms to grace this planet.

But have we started to go backwards?

Through the development of modern medicine, and the idea that it's what's on the inside that counts, it's no longer the alpha male/female that breeds the most. It's not longer the dominant traits that are passed along.
I do not mean this as offense to anyone. I'm not saying, nor do I believe, that this is a bad thing. Everybody has the right to a family and somebody to love. I am simply stating from where I stand, what I can see is going on.
With genetic diseases, people who have weak immune systems and any other form of genetically inherited disease, without the aid of medicine would not be able to breed and therefore would not pass their defective traits along to their next generation. This is what was indented, but the evolution of human social interaction has grown pass the need for simple physical and mental capabilities, and takes a person for who they are emotionally. This in my opinion is definitely good for us as a social species, but not necessarily on a genetic level.
This allows deformities to propagate and spread throughout the population, rather than not being able to breed and them simply dying out; as horrible as it sounds.

This has created a stigma in our evolution. Rather than the 'strong' prevailing, anybody is able to breed and spread their genetic code, potentially weakening the gene pool. If this continues, it's evident that we shall become Dependant on modern medicine as the only way to survive as a species, rather then evolving to overcome our difficulties. It's not that we are no longer evolving (the change in the average humans height etc.) it's that we may not be moving in a beneficial direction. I am not one to say what is beneficial and what is not, but everything can't be good for us.

This is all I can think of at the moment, but it's just something that has been in my head for while. I don't mean to say that we should go and kill anybody holding our species back *cough* Hitler *cough*, just take it as an observation I've had. Feel free to comment, that's what it's for.

Medicine: I believe everyone has a right to be healthy and live. By what you are thinking, people who have disabilities and such should be dead.

But, shouldn't it be right to also believe that we have evolved more emotionally than we were say, 200 years ago? People (generally) are treating others as equals. We put race, religion, gender, etc aside to help anyone. I think we aren't as selfish as we used to be.

I also think that people who have a certain genetic disorder should go and receive genetic counselling, to weigh up the chances of passing on their genes before they decide to start trying for children. I'm not saying they shouldn't have kids - I think they should be aware of it.

You know what? I completely agree with Pickles.

Intelligence isn't being passed on as much either - it's a demographic fact that couples with higher intelligence tend to have fewer children. Much of intelligence is inherited, so intelligence isn't being naturally selected in general.

On the whole, I don't think this is a major issue, and even if it was, there isn't much we can do about it, except encourage healthy intelligent people to have more children.

Having said that though, I don't think people with genetic disorders should be prevented from having kids (although maybe stupid people should be lol). Everyone does have a right for medical attention, but it's just interesting to think where this path will take humanity in 100-1000+ years time.

I'm not meaning that people who have disabilities should die. I'm just saying that because they do get the chance to pass on their genes, unlike what would have happened back when natural selection was how things went, that the evolutionary part of it may be going in the wrong direction.

Depends how you define "Intelligent"

I think everyone is intelligent in their own way.


And Brady, exactly why I said people are more emotional today ^^

Intelligence as in general intelligence, like what's scored on IQ tests, or the overall score people get on multiple intelligence tests.

Ever seen the movie Idiocracy?

Nope Mike, the real problem is overpopulation, that is all.

I'm coming in kinda late both after the topic started and at night, so correct me if I'm wrong/say something I'm going to regret.

Medicine has made us dependant as a species. The western nations* (Europe, North America and Ausralia) and even some of the Asian and African nations as well are becoming much more dependant on technology as far as evolution goes but we generally wouldn't need it. Most diseases that are encountered are generally able to be beaten naturally. Colds and chicken pox etc. Cancers and tumours are supposed to kill you outright and a lot of people still do not survive these. Medicines come from materials that exist in our world today anyway hence some herbal medicines actually working.

As far as technology goes I honestly think that the internet is slowly developing into a sort of hive-mind substitute. It's on your laptop, your phone, eventually people will probably have neural uplinks (don't know if that is the right way to put it. Basically meant a connection through your brain). This isn't a bad thing. Intelligence and necessity are the bearers of invention. That's why we use tools and weapons because we lack natural weapons right? If we really needed something we would create it. If we really didn't need something it would be destroyed (not removed because humans are to violent to remove things).

(((These next paragraphs probably should not have been written and should not be read if you are easily offended but they will make my argument much more coherent)))

You guys slightly of went off topic with the "people with handicaps/diseases shouldn't be provided medicine/aid" but (and this might disturb some people just as it disturbs me) lets take an example. There is a girl at my school. She is in year 10. I believe she is sitting her School Certificate** at the end of the year. She has Downs Syndrome. People with this condition have been provided by nature with an extra chromosome (This could provide any number of opportunities for research). She has caused problems at the school which people say we cannot blame her for. I do not think she should be a regular school but she is there and she isn't leaving till she is finished.

I have been lead to believe that people with Downs Syndrome have a weaker immune system. "Survival of the fittest" is the sumerisation of evolution (actually natural selection but I digress). Would she have survived? In an older world, she would have died, been abandoned and left to fend for herself. Some people may have thought it a good idea to put her down like an animal.

(((You no longer need to fear anything that is written for now)))

This girl with Downs Syndrome has done the incredible. The girl who well and truly should not be with us has managed to bring more people together in my school than anyone else I've ever met. She goes into an event everyone cheers. If she so much as appears at a school event we don't lose. If she stumbles upon a charitable cause most people will back that cause for a very long time. This could be that emotional evolution Emilia talked about.

While allowing her to survive and breed is a bad decision in terms of survival against external natural threats I think that this young girl has done something incredible. She has made human kind, the cause of more and bloodier human deaths than any other species on the planet has inflicted on their own kind, align and band together.

I said before that the survival of the fittest is supposed to be the way evolution works, but other species on out planet have learned another important lesson. One which mankind has yet to fully learn and understand: Strength/Safety in numbers. Together mankind could overcome any blockade set by earth. We could do anything we wanted to.

Yes we need to keep the fit, the smart and strong but without these (for lack of a better term) hindrances I do not believe human kind could move forward into the future.

*or continents but areas with predominantly people of European origin.

**School certificate is a test at the end of year 10 that is basically saying you have completed mandatory schooling and are able to undertake a number of professions.

p.s. I apologise now for making you read that mountain of text but I felt I should say it.

"Most diseases that are encountered are generally able to be beaten naturally."

Studying Pharmacy, I know that this fact is wrong.
If most people didn't get their prescription meds, they would be dead.
Blood pressure, cholesterol, diabetes, antibiotics, etc etc

Wow that's it? Think I did pretty well then. Yet, of the 4 things you mentioned 3 of them are mostly avoidable through exercise and having a good diet aren't they?

We could play word for word if you like. You name a condition then I'll name one.

I assure you, I will win.

Avoidable, yes, but if you already have it and you don't take those meds, you will die.

Diabetes, asthma, allergies, viruses like measles and bacterial infections can't be prevented naturally. Diabetes sometimes can, but sometimes it can't. They all need medications and/or vaccinations.

Emotional evolution is an interesting idea, I think I like it. Physical prowess isn't always needed in our society any more, except for some jobs (sportsmen, builders, military etc)

I really liked reading your wall of text Kingfrozen.

I had noticed what OP was talking about in society, but I hadn't stopped to think about emotional evolution or the strength in numbers thing that humans are yet fully comprehend.

Emilia is probably right about her Pharmacy being the only answer at times, but it always amuses me when something natural is discovered to do an equal or better job to something we've made.

Honey is a good example. It has healing properties and it was big news a little while ago, as i understand it we'd been using inferior man made pharmaceuticals instead.

Emotional evolution. I like the sound of it.

I wouldn't call pharmaceuticals inferior. Take for example, Strepsils (The original variety). From what I have heard, their active ingredient has not actually been proven to kill the bacteria that cause a sore throat. The ingredient could probably work if it was used in the right context. The people who are making this product make it inferior, not the product itself. They are not telling people what it is really capable of: Just to soothe the throat, nothing more.

Honey is a natural antibacterial and it is making it's way into pharmaceutical products.

John, Pharmacy has been around for over 2000 years. Back in those days, all medicines came from nature. Take for example, opium. This plant contains morphine and codeine, pain relievers that we use today. Another example: antibiotics are produced from bacteria. Bet you didn't know that
We take things from nature and yes, we do change them to make new things based off the original, but like anything in life, we have to look to our past to understand the future.

That is why I believe in emotional evolution. Bad things that happen in our past effect us emotionally so we don't do them again. I find it sad in places like China where the country has a horrible past, is erased so that future generations don't hear about it. Even internet sites are blocked. How are children supposed to understand that what has happened? People need to stand up and admit they are wrong to move forward, not just pretend it didn't happen.

When we hear about these horrible things, in our minds, we don't want this to happen to anyone else in the future. So learning about these things will stop it from happening.

I hear you

the honey amused because it was superior to stuff we'd created and the honey was there all along while we didn't know what it could do

I realise that drugs are a creation using nature, there's sort of a technofear about it really, simply rejecting something created in a lab because "scientists" as some would generalize, created products with serious negative effects. Its a stigma. Bad things stick so much easier than good. Medicine really has done a lot of good