Why Asperger’s is not evolution in process

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Best argument against this somewhat absurd idea is that usually selective adaptation relates how well certain members of a species manage the challenges of their immediate enviroment ( Think of Darwin's Galapagos Finches ie.). Their is nothing selective about autistic behaviors overall, usually they involve some form of trying to shut out stimuli.
Although, it could be that our reduced chances of reproduction could be argued to be a singn, that we are heading for extinction.
The reason(s) there are more autistics are various enviromental factors/birthing problems/genetic defects that cause the Disorder(s) since IMO there are actually more than one. And greater awareness.
We may be getting a bit more support, but no way are we EVER going to replace the NT population of this world.
It ain't happening folks. Its just another form of Denial.

Sincerely,
Matthew

To be evolution in process, a trait or set of traits must confer some advantage.

Autism doesn't.

We're headed for extinction. In all probability, actually, we're headed for extermination.

Given the self-righteous, self-serving attempts of allegedly well-intentioned NTs to "help" us poor, sick, broken people, that's probably not a bad thing.

The highest purpose of euthanasia, after all, is to end suffering.

Exactly! People talk about the evolution of a species as if it meant climbing up a ladder of traits going from worst to best, and that's just not how it works.

What is a "good" vs. "bad" mutation or change in the physiology and/or functioning of a species depends on both the environment and how that mutation/change fits in with extant physiology; In other words: what is "good" vs "bad" is context-dependent.

I wish people could talk about autism without so much value judgement. I don't see how explicitly or implicitly categorizing autism (any kind of autism) as "good" or "bad" helps anybody figure out what it actually is (i.e. what causes the symptoms of autism).

This statement is entirely incorrect.

Evolution is change. By caring for the sick and curing diseases, humans have changed the course of evolution, not stopped it. The normal course of evolution is not completely altered, since there are Aspies who would marry other people based on any number of 'standard' evolutionary criteria such as looks, personality, wealth.

In thousands or millions of years, something would be the the result of this, and it would still be evolution.

That evolution becomes sentient and self-aware, does not make it less evolutionary.

Or disadvantage. Evolution can occur through disadvantages. Anything that affects change is evolution, whether deliberate or accidental, and whether or not it creates life or wipes it out.



Intense focus. Attention to detail. Memory. Math.

So Einstein had nothing to contribute to evolution? Or Jake Barnett, the math prodigy? Kim Peek, with his superhuman memory? Traits from Mozart?

Evolution has a way of taking what it likes and leaving the rest.