Could technology hinder evolution?

theNude · 20 Sep 2011 at 22:41

In my opinion evolution is being negatively effected by more breeding pairs with genetic weaknesses, however this is being slowed by the advances in medical science correcting these problems.

Robbo · 20 Sep 2011 at 22:42

Surely technology is part of our evolution...?

Tefal · 20 Sep 2011 at 22:45

Srengam said:
Just pondering, bored in work.

eg; with aircraft we won't need to evolve flight, with medicine we won't need to evolve immunity.

I'm sure theirs more too.

technology is the result of evolution.

Mason- · 20 Sep 2011 at 22:48

Vonhelmet said:
I very much doubt we'd have ever evolved to fly. Why would we need to?

Global warming is gonna melt the ice caps be no land so we have to fly.

Innit.

Mr Jack · 20 Sep 2011 at 22:56

Srengam said:
Just pondering, bored in work.

eg; with aircraft we won't need to evolve flight, with medicine we won't need to evolve immunity.

No, it can't. To think it can is to completely and fundamentally misunderstand what evolution is, and what it does.

Technology can change evolution, but it cannot hinder it. Evolution is not progressive, it does not aim in any particularly direction and it has no destination. As such, it cannot be hindered.

Technology will (and has, and does) produce new selective pressures by altering which genes enjoy the highest fitness.