bil

Someone commented on the religion thread, 'is the theory of evolution flawless?'

Based on all the evidence so far, I'd have to say yes.

rugbymatt

OK... well evolution teaches us that its "survival of the fittest" and that we can do little or nothing to stop the inexorable march of Evolution... so we should really allow all the hoodie wearing yobs that wander the streets staking out their "turf" and killing each other... we should allow the dictators to do as they please, politicians to act with impunity, bankers to take what they want.... because after all... its "survival of the fittest"

rachelk

Sometimes I think the human race has long passed its peak and is evolving backwards now. Devolving, perhaps.

jjh

I think you¨ve got that just about right.

jjh

And isn´t that really scary?

Sam Greenfield

Spot on - sad though aint it

Madridboy

We may or may not have passed or come very close to our peak physically but IMO, mentally we're just getting started.

jjh

Yes, but don´t you think we´re getting a bit too clever for our own good? I sometimes think the knowledge of the human race could be it´s downfall, particularly if it starts to play God (forgive me bil, I know you don´t believe in all that) and thinks it can solve everything.

Years ago we were told that TB had been eradicated, however they didn´t know why the vaccine had worked. Look now at the growing incidences of TB. That, to me, says quite a lot about how the human race functions. Seems to be quite a lot of it is a quick fix with no thought to the future. Just my opinion though.

Madridboy

Nana, is that you? lol
No, not at all. How can we be too clever?
We can't play God because God as many know it doesn't excist, what we can do is create new life and extend life adn create new species.
Years ago we didn't travel like we do now, the world as we know it is much smaller than it once was in terms of travel, we mix socialy and physicaly so we are closer to more things for more time than we ever were before, therefore we're going to come in contact with many things we had never seen, felt or heard before, therefore we're going round in circles allbeit the circles are getting slower and slower.

rachelk

Point proved, I'd say.

HBG

What a dreadful place a flawless world would be. No conflict, no discussions, no nothing, perhaps all controlled by a giant computer constantly explaining that there is no God, only a big bang to explain our presence on earth.

There would be no need for a discussing forum, there would be nothing to discuss. And I wouldn’t be shouting at the TV because that horrible Heather Mills just got through to the next round.

Madridboy

I don't believe we'll ever be flawless. I do believe that in time, sooner or later, we will be introduced to something from another planet/world weather this is intelligent life or merely an organism which cannot be seen by the human eye. We will at some point introduce something alien to our planet. This "thing" could contaminate us/ our planet and we'll be starting all over again aiming for the idealic flawless world/life.

cissy

anybody seen the movie about mars I forget whole name ,but its food for thought and if not why not

Dick Dasterdly

Wonder how I got the impression that was already happening.

A few interesting points in the other posts such as the distinction between physical and mental evolution.
Apart from determined fitness fanatics, professional sportsmen and the few remaining tough physical jobs, surely the rest of the race will start to go back to what they were shapewise at least,crouching unable to stand straight,after a few generations of sitting for most of their lives in front of PC screens or whatever takes their place.
With regard to possible future effects from other planets,there was mention on the news a week or so back that astronomers are now beginning to study far away solar systems which they believe are very similar to our own.
However I imagine any possible direct interaction will have to be considered as science fiction for quite a while yet.

bil

I never said the world was flawless. I just said that the theory of evolution is.

In a word of finite resources, the fittest will survive.

Not the smartest, not the tallest, not the quickest. Just the fittest. Why do you think we are no longer evolving? Every one of us is a mutant, and every time one of us dies without breeding successfully, we are not fit.

So here we stand at the summit of the collection of genetic errors, screwups and misprints, which errors have allowed our species to survive to the present day. The question which none of us can answer is, 'Tomorrow, by what criterion will fitness be defined?'

The hoodie with the two figure IQ may survive while you may fail, and by that he would demonstrate his fitness, provided he can repeat the trick long and often enough to breed.

The theory of evolution is flawless, because it doesn't speculate, it simply puts into words two basic truths.

1. Resources of any kind are finite. (Except possibly human stupidity).
2. Where there is competition for resources, only the fittest will survive.