Doug Pensinger wrote:
But doesn't the randomness of evolution begin to recede once you are actually aware of the evolutionary process and actively abet it?
An animal with a successful adaptation is unaware of what that adaptation is, but a human with a successful innovation can immediately recognize what and why it is successful and continue to build upon it.
Not really, because we also hinder it at the same time - handicapped people who would never have had the chance to pass on the damaged genes in past millenia are now at no disadvantage in terms of conceiving and raising a child. If anything, we are increasing the randomness by allowing disadvantages to continue and promoting genetic advantages, so there's a broader range of genetic variance. Hell, in this century, even _I_ can have children and raise them to child bearing age... :-)
But increasingly, our greatest assets are our minds. (tried and true example follows) How long would Stephen Hawking have lived even a hundred years ago?
Essentially, I agree with you, but I think that the advantages of allowing more minds to survive has (at least) neutralized the disadvantages of allowing genetic disadvantages to survive.
Doug
Pure speculation though.
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