The Descent of Man: Humans Getting Dumber?

[JSCh]

The article doesn't compare the value of ancient v/s modern achievements. It only posits a deterioration in intelligence based on pure physics: complex systems will deteriorate over time unless there is something countering the laws of entropy.

Life, intelligence and indeed evolution fly in the face of that law, is it not? So are we to consider them all are freak of nature? (isro2222 would be so disappointed if that is true)

 

[Developereo]

Life, intelligence and indeed evolution fly in the face of that law, is it not? So are we to consider them all are freak of nature? (isro2222 would be so disappointed if that is true)

In all these cases, there is 'something to counter the laws of entropy'.

For inanimate matter, that 'something' is gravity: it pulls matter into planets, starts, galaxies, etc.

For living things, it's natural selection: it favors certain genes over others in the race for procreation. In the absence of natural selection, gene propagation would be completely random and there would be no mechanism for more adaptively suited genes (intelligence, speed, strength, vision) to displace random gobbledygook of nucleotide pairs.

 

[Audio]

The Flynn effect doesn't really explain anything. A child maybe more smarter academically, but test numbers doesn't constitute real intelligence.

It isn't there to explain....it's just a set of observations on how each generation of children score 0.3 points better then the generation before them.

Genetic traits can be vaguely described as a "Mother Nature version of a Russian Roulette." If 2 midget have kids chances are they may exhibit that particular physical trait or they don,t. I can say for sure though their Genome is imprinted with their parents traits. So if they have Kids they will probably inherited their Grandparents Traits.

So if you say russian roulette here, how can you defend the article which implies that human intelligence is getting smaller??? Isn't it russian roulette there as well?

Why do you have to pull the Nazi card? Mr. Crabtree article is wonderfully written & it does make an amazing points

because Nazis took what Mr. Crabtree is writing quite seriously and with a lot of zeal in an effort to root out any genetic "deficiencies" where they health issues or simply being being born a gypsy.
Also, this wasn't a Nazi card, you need to look the proper meaning up.

 

[Reashot Xigwin]

It isn't there to explain....it's just a set of observations on how each generation of children score 0.3 points better then the generation before them.

Okay... Why do you put it up in the first place then if it not as an attempt to disprove the theory?

So if you say russian roulette here, how can you defend the article which implies that human intelligence is getting smaller??? Isn't it russian roulette there as well?

Do you even read the article? Read this part: The Genetic Complexity of Intelligence, SO HOW DID WE GET SO SMART AND WHY ARE WE GETTING DUMBER?.

because Nazis took what Mr. Crabtree is writing quite seriously and with a lot of zeal in an effort to root out any genetic "deficiencies" where they health issues or simply being being born a gypsy.
Also, this wasn't a Nazi card, you need to look the proper meaning up.

Read this part too: SCIENCE AS SAVIOR. I can assume what he meant as "Science as Savior" Mean is Trans-Humanist solution.

 

[Developereo]

Nazi analogy is wrong. All Crabtree is saying is that our knowledge of genetics can help us fix the genome back from its degradation due to random mutations.

 

[Audio]

Nazi analogy is wrong. All Crabtree is saying is that our knowledge of genetics can help us fix the genome back from its degradation due to random mutations.

I know it is not right on the money (the analogy) but, Nazis said " our knowledge of "genetics" (experimenting) can help us fix the genome to restore/strengthen the aryan race.

Im not saying mr. Crabtree is a nazi sympathesizer but all the time i was reading that article connections with above mentioned nazi theory was coming to mind.

 

[Audio]

Okay... Why do you put it up in the first place then if it not as an attempt to disprove the theory?

Because i was mistaken. I thought we were talking about general progression summed up (genetics,nutrition, improved life), not a deterioration in only 1 field crucial to intelligence which is genetics. I explained it in one of my replies.

Do you even read the article? Read this part: The Genetic Complexity of Intelligence, SO HOW DID WE GET SO SMART AND WHY ARE WE GETTING DUMBER?.

Read this part too: SCIENCE AS SAVIOR. I can assume what he meant as "Science as Savior" Mean is Trans-Humanist solution.

bla bla bla....