Re: current path of human evolution


Perplexed in Peoria wrote:

> You would also have to show that the people with unplanned pregnancies
> have more children than people who plan their pregnancies.

Interesting. I thought that assumption was "obviously correct." You
think it is "very unlikely." I agree that it is an assumption which
needs looking into.

I have met a large number of women (in Texas) who had children at ages
16 to 18. I think it's likely that these pregnancies were (to some
extent) unplanned but these weren't close friends of mine so I didn't
ask such personal questions. My assumption is that, having their first
child at such a young age, they will be more likely to have more
children than those who consistently plan their pregnancies. However,
of course, this type of anecdotal reasoning is extremely unreliable --
like everyone else, my assumptions depend on my background and
experience, and I'm just trying to explain how I arrived at my
(unsupported) assumption.

Interestingly, I'm not the only one who has made a (perhaps spurious)
connection between unplanned pregnancy and human evolution. What
follows is not an exact quote but a very close paraphrase of something
I read by Steven Pinker:

"If an edible plant was found to have contraceptive properties, we
would evolve such that the plant was poisonous to us."

It seems to me that Pinker is making a similar assumption to me;
however, we could both be wrong.

> Also, you seem to be suggesting that this is a new feature in human
> evolution. Since when? Since effective contraception? Seems a little
> counter-intuitive to me.

I believe that the advent of effective contraception has dramatically
changed the nature of human evolution.
This really does seem completely obvious. A new-found ability to have
sexual intercourse without pregnancy is a fundamental biological change
in the human condition. Any fundamental change in a species is likely
to have evolutionary consequences.

So I'm very surprised by your word -- "counter-intuitive". What
exactly is counter-intuitive, and why?

Paul Epstein


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Relevant Pages

  • Re: current path of human evolution
    ... >> You would also have to show that the people with unplanned pregnancies ... >> have more children than people who plan their pregnancies. ... > connection between unplanned pregnancy and human evolution. ... > I believe that the advent of effective contraception has dramatically ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)
  • Re: current path of human evolution
    ... > Since a very large proportion of human pregnancies are unplanned, ... > continue to grow very rapidly, and (if future generations continue to ... > Human evolution may have reached an interesting path because the traits ... However, such traits (risk-taking, ...
    (sci.bio.evolution)
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