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Punctuated Equilibrium in Homo Sapiens

Who knows about punctuated equilibrium? What are your thoughts on techno-physio evolution in homo sapiens due to exponential growth rates in technology. When will we attempt to classify subspecies such as Homo evolutus?

Donotbelieve 9 Mar 2
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As scientific knowledge advances, and we uncover more and more of how our genetic coding works, the temptation to tamper will be irresistible. First we will seek to eradicate genetic disorders, such as sickle cell anemia, Downs syndrome, etc. Then we will focus on enhancements. As a race we will become our own designers, at least so far as our progeny is concerned. Then the term "homo evolutus" or something similar might become the chosen designator.

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It's interesting to note that the human brain has been undergoing a reduction in size over the past 20,000 years.

[scientificamerican.com]

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Well, when we can no longer make viable offspring with homo sapiens then we'll be another species. But if you think in terms of dog breeds, we can do a lot to our species that would make someone unrecognizable to someone else. We tend to breed to our life styles(larger, stronger athletes tend to have athletic kids, office workers tend to raise little office workers, etc), who knows what to lead to? We have people over seven feet and my exwife is barely 5'.

In diversity there is strength. I don't know a whole hell of a lot, but I learned the hell out of that.

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Since Gould was my adviser, I better freakin' know about punctuated equilibrium. 😉 I think it's more likely that we are on a rapid extinction course, hence are not deserving of a new species name.

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I feel that we're always progressively evolving, even if in minor ways. A sudden leap in speciation does occur, however, in the midst of serious environment change. There may be mild stagnation in mutations if the environment stays at an equilibrium; there is always just enough food, shelter, and no disease, natural disaster, or predators hunting them. Our planet is chaotic, however, and we are always underfire from one thing or the next, and so we are always evolving; whether it be better sight, stronger bodies, or the ability to get absolutely wasted without getting a hangover. If you want to see some effects of our technology growth, then look at that sudden explosion of autism, adhd, and insomnia. Barraging the brain (a device that verdicts our conscious experience through chemical and ELECTRICAL reactions) with extremely large amounts of electromagnetic radiation won't do anything at all, right?
And as for subspecies, that won't happen until society regularly engineers genetics, creating a literal new breed of humans, which will most likely happen in the next decade. The same goes with making androids; when a homosapien is so engrained with technology that it's identity as a human is questionable, it too will begin a new species. Surprisingly, modern day bio engineering is getting really big, alas the commercial CRISPR. Side by side with body hackers, who can send their own bodies vitals to a phone as metadata or turn off lights with a thought. Even on a smaller scale, everytime we set our phones calendar, send a text, or just ask the internet a question, we are entrusting another aspect of our lives to technology. So, if we don't all die soon and the Moores law hold up, then we're gonna be in for a weird, crazy, beautifully scientific future.

@Donotbelieve Oh yeah, besides talking to actual doctors about their experiences with it, there's a myriad of studies trying to figure how much electrical pollution has affected us. Of course, right now it's still being debated, but a growing number of people are beginning to link dirty energy with health problems. I've read it in a couple of different books, give Homo Sapiens or Homo Deus a look for a whole lot of fun. My friend, who's a doctor, also told me how his circadian rhythm is completely reset when he goes to visit his family in Africa; they have no electricity for miles.

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Good question. Only know a little. Otherwise have no idea. Your homo evolutus mention reminded me of this on homo loquax.

[neh.gov]

Ironically, I found this Wolfe piece searching for info on this live show because Wolfe used the phrase in his essay.

Steve Earle - Shut Up and Die Like an Aviator

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There is a difference between adapting and evolving. Base pair mutation rate is not at threshold of speciation, and you can still mix, but frankly Science would have it’s hands tied to claim a subspecies without some serious questions about race, class, and culture.

That said, selective mating through the internet will increase exposure on larger scales than before but humans tend to absorb large searches of “tribes” and collectively advance versus other species that differentiate in niches. At least that’s how I read the evidence.

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I don't think it's necessarily just technology. We share a similar frontal cortex communication center with corvids, elephants, orcas etc... . We had it as cro-magnon as did neandertal and denisovan. But as all 3 were fighting starvation the last of the ice age it was only us who eventually survived and turned from hunter-gatherer to farmer. Thats not an intuitive change and not one made by the other hominids. But I credit (not just me, but others too) our ability to vocalize with making the use of that comm center in the social arena much like the crows and dolphin pods and orca and elephants have done. We had the biological advantage with the higher windpipe allowing reasonance of the sounds coming from the vocal cords so we could actually speak. This communication, once just between family members in grunts and intuition, now now allowed for the storing and passing of knowledge and interactivity to allow us to build farms and communities. So the environmental changes allowed evolutional changes which would draw a good parallel of environmental changes with tech. same same. Just a thought.

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Maybe after the Academy Awards. First things first.

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Not a bad theory, good explanation to fit the facts. However, it doesn't quite dove-tail with the "molecular clock."

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Hmm this is a concept I am not familiar with. But I have heard that humans are evolving faster than ever before, so you raise an interesting point.

Maybe, they get smarter, but not wiser at all. I'm not sure this is evolution.

Yeah I don’t think wisdom is part of the evolution of species, only the evolution of the individual! @Gert

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I think to classify our species as a new subspecies would require a genetic mutation. I think that as far as technology goes, we are still a tool-using species. Why would the level of sophistication of the tools change us as a species?

JimG Level 8 Mar 2, 2018
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