Are we still evolving?

[Togakure]

once a populations hits a certain mark, evolution stops. we're at that point as a species, just like the norway rat is. our population levels are not expected to decrease dramatically in the future, so there's no way for 'advantageous' genes to overtake the less advantageous ones. from here on out, it's all about good health and education insofar as humans increasing their potential.

What if, in the future, we make the big jump into space and colonize other worlds? New worlds, new environments, new adaptations become necessary, etc.

[solypsist]

well then we may evolve, but the question is: are we still evolving?

What if, in the future, we make the big jump into space and colonize other worlds? New worlds, new environments, new adaptations become necessary, etc.

[Papewaio]

Yes, every time a person is the last one standing in a village wiped out by a disease then his or her genes have shown a gene frequency change with regards to the local population.

Everytime a rockstar whose genes allows him to make 'better' music gets a groupie pregnant that is an increase in the gene frequency in the population.

Rich business men who get there through having a superior set of business acumen due in part to genes for maths and social skills who then has 3 marriages and 6 children will be outperforming the rest of society sitting on 2.1 children per adult pairing... his gene frequency will increase.

Every ultra-geek that never has a physical relationship will find his unsocial gene set frequency decrease in the population.

If your genes are in tune with the current memes you can expect them to flourish. If your genes are out of tune you might find you are socially ostracized and an outcast whose genes failing to match the memes are not added back into the gene pool.

Social Trends (memes) are an Evolutionary pressure on our genes.

[Togakure]

well then we may evolve, but the question is: are we still evolving?

Ok, ok ... but taken in the context of then and now, if we do indeed evolve, then at this point we were still evolving, yes?

Interesting to see the different levels of abstraction by which people answer, and the varying degrees of emphasis on things philosophical, scientific, futurist, etc. Fascinating how different minds work.

[English assassin]

Social Trends (memes) are an Evolutionary pressure on our genes

An interesting and valid point. A good example would be the catholicism meme, with its ban on contraception. However just as we are able to adapt our physical environment, reducing its selective pressure on us, so we are even more able to adapt our memes. Other than the really powerful and enduring memes (and I can really only think of religions in that catagory) i doubt that many other memes would exert a material selection pressure on genes. After all, if it were true that gentlemen preferred blondes, the response would be only to increase the sales of peroxide rather than the frequency of blonde genes.