[ExI] People are the same?

[David Lubkin]

Dan wrote:

>Whilst I don't see much evidence for rapid evolution happening 
>amongst human in the last few centuries, it does seem to be the case 
>that there was some amount of evolution from fifty thousand years 
>ago. In particular, it seems that the ability to digest milk in 
>adulthood arose and spread to most of the species. Also, blondness 
>seems to have arisen in the last six thousand years ago. Granted, 
>these are minor changes, but there are probably others that just 
>haven't been uncovered as of yet.

More significantly, I am an Ashkenazic Jew of statistically abnormal
intelligence. My tribe is much smarter now than it was 5000 years
ago, let alone 50,000. There are competing hypotheses as to why,
but the reality remains.

But I take Eugen's core point -- that the changes aren't dramatic.

And I agree with his thesis: We can't sit and wait for the nano-fairy
to sprinkle us with transhuman goodness. We must, in particular,
achieve self-sufficient off-Earth enclaves as soon as possible.


-- David.