Human beings and evolution

Obviously not cricket related. Having been back from the Dentist after a 3 year gap was wondering about the Darwin theory and all that. A primitive animal like Shark we understand have evolved to grow their teeth continually throughout their life time. Even a very intelligent mamal like an Elephant goes through 5-6 sets of teeth during the life time. Several reptiles can re-grow some body parts at will.

In the case of human beings, after a point in time during the evolution process, it appears that the focus is on the continual evolution of the brain at the expense of the body. The size of the brain and its capabilities have been continually evolving and if we are to believe some of these trends, each future generation will be more and more slender but endowed with bigger heads.

Why is this the case ? Is it because that the human evolution has worked out that "brain power and mental capabilities" is the best way to survive and propogate. For example with mental capabilities once can always find ways to overcome bad teeth. Stem cells, cloning etc. are taking this to another level. So is it fair to conclude that the "force" behind human evolution has decided that this is the best way to progress. Down the track is it possible that there could be some reveral whereby compromises will be made and the focus goes back to the physical aspects at the expense of brain power.

Attributing evolution with any kind of sentience that can 'work out' anything is a mistake. It's a random process and just as often as a mutation occurs that is favourable and gets bred into successive generations, one occurs that in unfavourable and dies out as it is less suitable for the conditions the species finds itself in - more often, actually, if you think about it.

It just happens that mental capabilities have been more useful to the human race for the last however many thousand years than physical ones so those mutations that enhance intelligence have proliferated whereas those which have improved physical strength have been less successful. There is no great mind at work behind evolution, and successive generations are not necessarily 'better', just better adapted. Mammals left the sea and then some went back to it, it's just whatever works at the time, really.

This is a bit heavy for Christmas

Wish this concept of evolution worked for fast bowling because these current fast bowlers S.U.C.K

Josh Carney wrote:

Why is this the case ? Is it because that the human evolution has worked out that "brain power and mental capabilities" is the best way to survive and propogate. For example with mental capabilities once can always find ways to overcome bad teeth. Stem cells, cloning etc. are taking this to another level. So is it fair to conclude that the "force" behind human evolution has decided that this is the best way to progress. Down the track is it possible that there could be some reveral whereby compromises will be made and the focus goes back to the physical aspects at the expense of brain power.

I don't see how thats possible Josh simply because in most cases we don't have to worry about PHYSICAL labor.

Theres a film called Evolution and a WWE Stable once called Evolution.

DJ_Smerk wrote: WWE Stable once called Evolution.

ok NOW we are tallking about focus going back to the physical aspects at the expense of brain power.

Of course, you could never evolve from being a big, stupid ape and open the batting for Australia well past your use-by date.

Aslong as no-one mentions monkeys, we won't get taken to court!

Sorry, did you think I was being racist? Around Wagga Wagga we speak a dialect where the phrase "big, stupid ape" sounds a lot like "idiot queenslander" . If you misunderstood, I apologise.

I honestly didn't read your post above mine Zat. Total coincidence .

Fair enough Smerky.

Winkle Spinner wrote:Attributing evolution with any kind of sentience that can 'work out' anything is a mistake. It's a random process and just as often as a mutation occurs that is favourable and gets bred into successive generations, one occurs that in unfavourable and dies out as it is less suitable for the conditions the species finds itself in - more often, actually, if you think about it.

It just happens that mental capabilities have been more useful to the human race for the last however many thousand years than physical ones so those mutations that enhance intelligence have proliferated whereas those which have improved physical strength have been less successful. There is no great mind at work behind evolution, and successive generations are not necessarily 'better', just better adapted. Mammals left the sea and then some went back to it, it's just whatever works at the time, really.

Yeah that or God hates dentists.

The coelacanth weighs as much as a man but has a brain the size of a pea - yet it has survived for over 400 million years, while man's superior brain threatens to extinguish him and the rest of the planet in under a million years of his appearance as a species.

Winkle Spinner wrote:Attributing evolution with any kind of sentience that can 'work out' anything is a mistake. It's a random process and just as often as a mutation occurs that is favourable and gets bred into successive generations, one occurs that in unfavourable and dies out as it is less suitable for the conditions the species finds itself in - more often, actually, if you think about it.

I understand what you are saying. It however gets interesting and the lines start blurring when one sees the enormous examples where people have beaten deadly sentences with positivity. This has even forced a rethink of the original basis of modern medicene which saw no links between mind and body. Off late even the theory that brain/nerve cells don't regenerate has been thrown out.