Technology: The New Driving Force of Evolution

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REVIEW OF LITERATURE
Evolution has been the product of genetic mutation and natural selection since life first appeared on Earth 3,6 billion years ago, in the form of prokaryotic bacteria. Over the last 4,5 million years, the newly bipedal and most primitive hominid, Australopithecus, developed into the modern human, Homo Sapiens Sapiens, as a result of these two factors. However, due to growing speed at which new technological innovations arise (such as medical advances and their augmentative effect on longevity, the curing of previously fatal diseases and the use of genetic modification on crops to increase agricultural yield), the driving force behind evolution is quickly becoming technology rather than biology (Dorey, 2009). Yet research …show more content…

Pappas examines the two opposing arguments (i.e. whether humans are gaining or losing intelligence over time). The evidence that humans are becoming more intelligent are as follows: modern technological advancements; IQ test scores are on the rise, as shown by the Flynn Effect (since IQ tests are revised several times a century, a researcher named James Flynn studied the IQ test scores of more recent generations on IQ tests set for previous generations and found them to be higher, thus indicating that the newer generations are more intelligent); children’s environments more geared towards learning; more schooling and stimulation; increased access to …show more content…

Rowan presents facts and statistics demonstrating the reach of children’s technology addiction and the adverse effects of technology on the developing child: emotional implications – children and young adults who are addicted to the internet are more lonely, have lower self-esteem and poorer social skills, and have more difficulty identifying emotions than their non-addicted counterparts; physical effects – 30% of children entering nursery school are developmentally impaired (i.e. lack some of the basic skills needed to thrive in school environments) and there is a definite correlation between the rise in obesity, cardiovascular disorders and diabetes and the increased usage of technology (due to movement deprivation, electromagnetic radiation, etc); mental disorders – ADD and other psychological disorders are on the rise due to the overstimulation of children (children who experience more than two hours a day of screen time are 60% more likely to develop psychological disorders), children are becoming increasingly detached and isolated, and children are becoming more likely to engage in risky behaviour (42% of children between 10 and 17 are frequent users of pornography, with the average age of first exposure at 6 years old); social disorders – the average child’s vocabulary has become stunted (20% of toddlers experience speech and language

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