Evolution and Technology

[MrFun]

Homo Sapiens Sapiens are the only creatures on Earth that have separated themselves from the ravages of nature.

I'm thinking that as a result of our artificial separation from nature with our advanced technology, that Homo Sapiens Sapiens might become an evolutionary dead end for humans. In other words, Homo Sapiens Sapiens could be the last human species to ever live and at the time of our specie's extinction, it will be the end of all humans.

It's ironic -- our awesome technological powers that allow us to separate ourselves from nature could be the downfall of our species. With artificial separation from nature, this could discourage our species from further evolution hundreds of thousands of years or millions of years into the future. There may come to be a breaking point when our technology will not longer be sufficient to survive any substantial or even catclysmic change in climate, topography, and ecology. When that breaking point happens -- when our technological power cannot match the changes of Earth -- that begins the extinction of Homo Sapiens Sapiens.


What does anyone else make of these ramblings?

[BeBMan]

X-Men

[The diplomat]

Re: Evolution and Technology

Originally posted by MrFun
Homo Sapiens Sapiens are the only creatures on Earth that have separated themselves from the ravages of nature.

I'm thinking that as a result of our artificial separation from nature with our advanced technology, that Homo Sapiens Sapiens might become an evolutionary dead end for humans. In other words, Homo Sapiens Sapiens could be the last human species to ever live and at the time of our specie's extinction, it will be the end of all humans.

It's ironic -- our awesome technological powers that allow us to separate ourselves from nature could be the downfall of our species. With artificial separation from nature, this could discourage our species from further evolution hundreds of thousands of years or millions of years into the future. There may come to be a breaking point when our technology will not longer be sufficient to survive any substantial or even catclysmic change in climate, topography, and ecology. When that breaking point happens -- when our technological power cannot match the changes of Earth -- that begins the extinction of Homo Sapiens Sapiens.


What does anyone else make of these ramblings?

The other way to look at it, is that our technology may permit us to control our own evolution thus allowing the human race to avoid our own extinction.

Think about it this way: when the asteroid hit that wiped out the dinosaurs, they were powerless to avoid their fate. But in the not so distant future, humans may develop the technology to destroy or deflect and asteroid thus avoiding the same fate as the dinosaurs.

Furthermore, as we learn more about genetic manipulation, humanity may gain the ability to control our genes thus shaping our biology as we see fit it. Someday, we could develop a new species of humans that is smarter and stronger.

[Az]

Unless
A) Earth gets hit by an asteroid shower in the next 50 years or less.
B) or Earth breaks into two or gets hit by another planet in the next 500 years or less
C) or The Sun explodes in the next 1000 years or less.
D) or The galaxy collides with another one in the next 2000 years or less.

I don't see any real threat to humanity's ( and all of the forms of sentience that we'll turn into) continuing expansion, till the end of times ( Maximum entropy or whatever else you want to call it, which will be a very very depressing time to live in)

[MrFun]

Re: Re: Evolution and Technology

Originally posted by The diplomat


The other way to look at it, is that our technology may permit us to control our own evolution thus allowing the human race to avoid our own extinction.

Think about it this way: when the asteroid hit that wiped out the dinosaurs, they were powerless to avoid their fate. But in the not so distant future, humans may develop the technology to destroy or deflect and asteroid thus avoiding the same fate as the dinosaurs.

Furthermore, as we learn more about genetic manipulation, humanity may gain the ability to control our genes thus shaping our biology as we see fit it. Someday, we could develop a new species of humans that is smarter and stronger.

But your asteroid example is based on the given that we will have the technology to do so. If we don't then the asteroid disaster would represent an example of the "breaking point" I explained in the OP.

Or maybe some great, cataclysmic, global climate change would overwhelm our technological capabilities.

Of course my own speculative argument is based on givens as well -- the given that we may not have the technology to deal with whatever global cataclysm occurs.

[MrFun]

Of course though, NOTHING lasts forever -- so even if humans do survive, Homo Sapiens Sapiens is not the ultimate, capstone species of humans. Our descendants in the far, distant future will be replaced by some other human species.

So either Homo Sapiens Sapiens evolves into a new human species, or we represent an evolutionary dead end.

[Eli]

There may come to be a breaking point when our technology will not longer be sufficient to survive any substantial or even catclysmic change in climate, topography, and ecology. When that breaking point happens -- when our technological power cannot match the changes of Earth -- that begins the extinction of Homo Sapiens Sapiens.

I dont think that any change cataclysmic enough to destroy humanity despite our technology will allow any sort of evolved humans to survive.

[Az]

In about 2000 years, biological evolution will be irrelevant - humans won't "evolve".

If you can be a normal human today, after being a giant aquatic creature yesterday, only to prepare for your tomorrow as a 50 feet tall robot with interstellar travel capabilities - all of this stuff becomes pointless.