Human behavior evolved in the stone age. Now we can plausibly colonize the galaxy. What are the consequences?

Question

Human evolution has ceased - for there to be natural selection, there must be survival of the fittest. Today, everyone survives, at least long enough to pass on their genes.

I posit that many of us have genes for selfish behavior; those genes made sense in the Stone Age. Maybe rape or genocide genes too.

Don't believe me? Answer this question: why are men 25% bigger than women, on average? Answer, because our ancestors competed for breeding possibilities, and the bigger men won out, even though there is a penalty for larger body mass.

Though the evolution of behavior traits has ceased, some believe the evolution of behavior ideas is still going on - memetics.

After consideration, I don't think *ideas* are strong enough to overcome our natural tendencies. If it were otherwise, there would be no religious wars.

Colonize the galaxy? Plausible, even if all we do is send our genetic material. Once started, a chain reaction completes the process in blink of an eye.

What should we do?

Ozwald8 - I'm not excusing or advocating rape. Nonetheless, there is a compelling explanation for why rape could be a genetic strategy.

Consider this: long ago there were animals (perhaps men) who could not compete for breeding potential through their guitar playing ability. But they could pass on their genes through rape. Any breeding behavior that succeeds is eligible to become inherited behavior.

We see variations on this theme throughout the animal kingdom. Adult male lions who cannot take over a pride nonetheless manage to sneak in and impregnate lionesses. Same for wild horses who cannot get their own herd; same for many other animals.

Rape is the human equivalent for breeding without the consent of your lion pride.

Jeff C -

I understand your comments about memetics, which is why I referenced them in my question.

Unfortunately, this branch of science has not borne fruit, and is rapidly loosing respectability. I believe the main academic journal has stopped producing new articles.

"In 2005, the Journal of Memetics – Evolutionary Models of Information Transmission ceased publication and published a set of "obituaries" for memetics." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memetics#Maturity

And furthermore, I think history has shown us that the evolution of ideas has not had substantial impact on our behavior. Genocide has happened throughout history, and did not cease after the development of either philosophy or religion. This tells me that ideas are not strong enough to stop our inherited behavior tendencies.

Synchronicity915 - you are correct that, if we colonize remote planets, human evolution will resume.

Nonetheless, human evolution *on earth* cannot proceed under current conditions. Perhaps you missed my point about natural selection.

For natural selection to resume on earth, we would need a set of conditions under which favorable genes are selected for breeding. Since the rise of modern medicine, that has not happened, except for diseases which kill humans before the opportunity to reproduce, i.e. before reaching adulthood.

"AskClammy" - unfortunately, I agree with you all too well.

In fact, your statement may well jive with observational data, namely Fermi's Paradox. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fermi_Paradox

My favorite explanation for why we haven't discovered intelligent life is that all examples of intelligent life have destroyed themselves prior to colonizing the galaxy.

In fact, you could make a reasonable hypothesis that our inborn competitive behavior prevents competitive, intelligent life from colonizing the galaxy, since it tends to create wars, and sufficiently advanced technology makes wars genocidal.

"Finite Wisdom" your statement is a little ambiguous, but I'll take it as a compliment.

In fact, that's exactly the ending I hope for myself, other than the fact that I would like to be martyred for my ideas (at the age of 1100!

Hey MikeY -

Actually, the theory of sexual dimorphism is a well-established aspect of evolution, and I didn't invent it.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_dimorphism

And perhaps you should learn something about lion behavior. Consider this lion behavior pattern: when an adult lion takes over a pride, he kills all the cubs, and the females automatically go into heat. I think that type of behavior qualifies as "aggressive".

Furthermore, you are trying to put words into my mouth with regard to all men having rape genes. Like all genetic attributes, there are many competing variations, and only some men can plausibly have genes that pre-dispose them towards rape behavior.

MikeY - just too add a conclusion to my previous statements, I definitely do not believe that "all human males are genetically pre-programmed for pillage and rapine", nor did I say so.

Roadkill - personally, I think there is a very good chance we will be able to develop AI. However, I wonder if that will make our long-term survival more or less likely!

Answer 1

I do not believe we will ever be capable of colonizing the galaxy, only because(in my opinion) we will self-destruct before we reach this capability.

If you think about it, what are the type of people that have the most children these days? I am not trying to be cruel, but in my opinion, we are evolving in the opposite direction, because very intelligent and well rounded people don't have as many children as poor trashy people do.

Look at our world now. We are not like the animal kingdom. The dumb, irresponsible, and weak procreate extremely well. Do you believe that most people in this world are the type to work together and get along, or are they selfish and self destructive? You decide.

Answer 2

Lots of species show sexual differentiation in average size , often the females are bigger than the males, does this automatically make them dangerously agressive compared with the timid, peaceful little males? Male african lions generally outweigh females by about 30% yet they do not seem to be more agressive or dangerous - I find your argument rather weak.

Survival of the fittest is still going on in the human population, as ever, what constitutes 'fitness' changes from day to day.

Your premise appears to be that if all human males are genetically pre-programmed for pillage and rapine without thought for the future and this can never be changed then it would be foolhardy to let them loose on the galaxy ?
It seems a bit over-egged but, if true, who is going to stop them?

Answer 3

On current balance of probabilities it is more likely that humans will degenerate to a level that will not be sufficient to support interplanetary colonisation, even to Mars. Hard for humans to become completely extinct. There will be a few fertile couples left somewhere... As for being ethical or moral - that rather depends if we are the only truly intelligent species in the universe. If we the only ones then it would be immoral to not to propagate ourselves. However computer technology is advancing to the level where some experts say we are very close to getting a human level artificial intelligence. If so then maybe they can exceed it. Robot probes colonising the galaxy might not be as romantic but are more realistic.

Answer 4

By what research and experimentation do you draw the conclusion that human evolution has stopped? I'm afraid I don't buy it.

Also, I believe that the conditions of life in space will in time force humanity to evolve in order to deal with new environmental challenges.

Answer 5

We aren't evolving fast enough for that. We'll have to use artifical intelligence to make it possible.

As the writer Scott Adams (Dilbert) puts it we have the basic intelligence to properly use a sharp stick. But even so a lot of people are injured every year by sharp sticks.

Answer 6

Evolution is more than just genes. The meme will be the dominant partner of the meme-gene combination. By tinkering with who we are, we will evolve further.

Answer 7

I think when you die your remains should be put in a capsule and shot into space - someone out there cleary needs your wisdom.

Answer 8

We would screw the rest of the Galaxy up, we should sink into extinction quietly and ask forgiveness of the cosmos.

Answer 9

intergalactic oil conquests?

Answer 10

rape genes? that's a new excuse.