Until the beginning of the 20th Century, human population growth was primarily determined by mortality rates. Since then, developments in medical science, agriculture and public hygiene have largely removed the evolutionary filtering devices ("survival of the fittest") which provided an ongoing improvement in environmental adaptation. If anything, the "fittest" among us are reproducing less while the less "fit" are reproducing more.
The extreme case of this is where people with debilitating genetic disorders can pass them along unhampered to future generations. We seem to be on the verge of eliminating these disorders through genetic manipulation, but at what cost? Are we speeding towards a brave new world where biological processes are replaced by political determinations?
These anti-evolutionary developments have been matched by technical developments which require fewer and fewer people to produce necessary goods and services. What will be done with the ever-increasing numbers of people who are no longer productive? Will we have to develop strict protocols as to who and how many can reproduce?
Perhaps we will ride around on luxury space ships being served by robots (like in the movie Wall-e) until we finally eliminate the need for our existence? Thoughts/comments?
The extreme case of this is where people with debilitating genetic disorders can pass them along unhampered to future generations. We seem to be on the verge of eliminating these disorders through genetic manipulation, but at what cost? Are we speeding towards a brave new world where biological processes are replaced by political determinations?
These anti-evolutionary developments have been matched by technical developments which require fewer and fewer people to produce necessary goods and services. What will be done with the ever-increasing numbers of people who are no longer productive? Will we have to develop strict protocols as to who and how many can reproduce?
Perhaps we will ride around on luxury space ships being served by robots (like in the movie Wall-e) until we finally eliminate the need for our existence? Thoughts/comments?