SI
SI
discoversearch

We've detected that you're using an ad content blocking browser plug-in or feature. Ads provide a critical source of revenue to the continued operation of Silicon Investor.  We ask that you disable ad blocking while on Silicon Investor in the best interests of our community.  If you are not using an ad blocker but are still receiving this message, make sure your browser's tracking protection is set to the 'standard' level.
Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!!
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  
To: nihil who wrote (33295)3/24/1999 8:44:00 PM
From: Chuzzlewit  Read Replies (3) of 108807
 
Nihil, man can and does change himself. I leave the wisdom of the action up to the reader. Organisms ordinarily adapt to the environment through a combination of random mutations and natural selection. But human intervention has changed much of that. Instead of allowing the ravages if disease to decimate populations we provide artificial defenses such as medicines and vaccines. And so, in the process, we defeat the effects of natural selection.

Culturally defined traits such as beauty are also selected, but the selection is not based on adaptive behavior. Maybe that's why there are so many blondes in California.

But look at how human intelligence can be perverse. It is a fact that intelligent people tend to have less children than less intelligent people. The reason ought to be self-evident. It is also true that a significant component of the trait we call intelligence is inherited. So, through diminished fecundity, intelligence is selected out. So much for wisdom. If you can't out-think 'em out-breed 'em.

There was a story that some geneticists liked to tell to explain why many people are near-sighted. It seems that in the days of the cave man, when he was a hunter-gatherer some of the potential hunters couldn't see that well. Given the the dangerous nature of the hunt, these individuals were left behind with the women. The better-sighted went off to hunt (and get preferentially eaten) while the myopic guys did their thing with the cave ladies.

TTFN,
CTC
Report TOU ViolationShare This Post
 Public ReplyPrvt ReplyMark as Last ReadFilePrevious 10Next 10PreviousNext  

HomeMailHotSubjectMarksPeopleMarksKeepersSettings
Terms Of UseContact UsCopyright/IP PolicyPrivacy PolicyAbout UsFAQAdvertise on SI
© 2025 Knight Sac Media.  Data provided by Twelve Data, Alpha Vantage, and CityFALCON News