Is Aspergers evolution in action? Vote on TED.com

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I agree with Temple Grandin, that Aspies' ability to concentrate, and retain focus on tasks for long periods of time, provides an advantage to societies. There is a theory that the only purpose of evolution is reproduction. Because of social challenges, Aspie's may not reproduce at the same rate as NTs, but that doesn't mean natural selection for superior Aspie minds isn't in play. As a species, our genetic makeup has changed considerably in the past 10,000 years. High functioning Aspies are the people who move society forward, through scientific and technological inventions. They allow us to see the world in a different way, through their art, literature and music. Aspie Pride!

*sigh*

OCD is the next phase of evolution because it ensures a decreased likelihood of disease spreading due to constant hand washing.

This thread is old and I find it disturbing that there are so many yes votes, christ almighty

_________________
Unapologetically, Norny.
-chronically drunk

Strictly speaking, all genetic variation not deliberately introduced by a geek in a lab coat is evolution in action.

But the whole "next step" concept has nothing to do with evolution.

Adaptive change and maladpative change are both "evolution in action." Extinction is evolution in action.

The question posed by the OP seems to be based on a profound misunderstanding of biological processes.

How do you answer a question based on such erroneous assumptions?

Yes: Aspergers, like all other human variation, is evolution in action.

No: Aspergers is not the next step in anything and people with Aspergers are not better than or more evolved than anyone else.

NO, in terms of classical evolution science clearly shows that humans have not innately changed much at all in tens of thousands of years;

IN fact, in terms of epigenetics in one lifetime; a sedentary life sets the bone density of humans much lower than so-called primitive ancestors;

AND current 'primitives' who do move all day long, today, ARE assessed with the same higher bone densities as our so-called uncivilized forager ancestors, foraging for survival, and adapting to 'REAL' MOVING environmental challenge, all day long, every day; with little exclusion for Sunday Dinners, in special days for sedentary being AT SO-CALLED REST.

Well, in terms of Human Epigenetics, and unpacking of DNA, in one lifetime, for human adaptation to meet innate and or environmental challenges; the challenge of almost any human innate and or environmental functional disability can lead to positive or negative epigenetics, in terms of change, per the adaptation to increased challenge to compensate in another area of functionality, per those innate and or environmental challenges.

One sees this in many great accomplishments among human beings from Lincoln and his Depression to John F. Kennedy and his Adrenal Insufficiency, which is a mighty tall mountain of innate and or environmental challenge to overcome, as well.

And sure, then there is Nerd Bill Gates and Nerd Steve Jobs with much better looks and a more geeky artistic outlook on science life, who both accomplish great things in life; while, generally speaking, are not accepted by others, in real life, in youth, in the most important intelligence of homo-sapien survival, per social cognition, in all ways of connecting to other humans in empathy life, for social cooperation, in gaining subsistence;

INCLUDING shelter, territory that can sustain human life with sources of water, and such as that; and of course, suitable reproductive mates, AVAILABLE AS SUCH.

So yeah, they (JOBS AND GATES, AND MAY OTHERS) move to interests in things instead of people. And now people are becoming more like them, stuck in mechanical cognition, which ironically, is the ultimate revenge of the nerds, as a mechanical cognition oriented life..

FROM THE 'IT' BYPRODUCTS THEY HELP CREATE, IS an extremely unbalanced and unhealthy, overall, way of life, in terms of INNATELY CLASSICALLY EVOLVED HOMO-SAPIENS; particularly in terms of sedentary nonphysical moving existence, WITH LOWER Bone Densities, as the microcosm of all the eventual potential health problems that go with humans stagnating still, in little to no movement in REAL LIFE NOW.

So YES, then there is everyone else; AS NO ONE gets a free ride in life, without the necessity of adaptation to environmental challenges, whether that is bullies in middle-school, or really cold weather all of the sudden in July, unexpected as such, which hasn't happened here, for a very long time, at least.

Let's FACE FACTS, IN GENERAL, All human beings are special snowflakes.

Folks with Asperger's, are just another variety of
human flake, in the pile of snow that is humanity
for
now;
cold, lukewarm,
or steaming hot
like
me;
heHe!..

The "evolutionary" theory while seemingly the polar opposite of the autism as horror, burden idea shares the same basic faults. It is based on the questionable idea that the amount of autistics is growing. So instead of "epidemic" you have "evolution". Both ideas are based on a using very small segment of the spectrum that the theorists prefer to define as Autistic or Aspie. Both are at least partially based on genetics thus open to a eugenics reaction. The fear of us as "lower" leading to elimination is the fear now. But the opposite happened in Europe in the 1930's and 1940's where the the Jews were perceived as more clever, thus able to constantly fool the average good Germans.

I have Aspergers & I'm not good with technology or have any of the other stereotyped Aspie strengths. I think if anything we are less evolved sense evolution is about better adapting to society & we have lots of problems with adapting & fitting in with society.

I am convinced that Aspergers has a role to play in the development of the species, and I'm quite fond of Baron-Cohen's (yes, Sacha's brother) Solitary Forager Hypothesis, which states that a person with autistic traits such as low need for personal interation and a good eye for details would make excellent forward scouts in a pre-agricultural society; scouting ahead for new hunting grounds before leading the rest of the tribe there. it even makes sense of the aversion to eye contact ( to avoid eye contact is to avoid making a challenege, good if you encounter other tribes whilst alone.) He also suggests that it would make us more suited for solitary specialist jobs, such as tool makers, which I also think makes sense. But to state that we're "the next stage of human evolution" X-m,en style, is just failing to understand, well, anything.