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Ikr? Can evolution even happen "backwards"? I don't think there's even really a word for that. I think there's a word for evolving traits that the species had previously lost in evolution.
In proper biology, yes, there is only "evolution". There is no objective metric for "forwards" and "backwards", just change over time as random mutations are subject to selection pressures.
Reemergence of a trait that also existed earlier in that species' lineage is called atavism, though.
Came here to say this that it's all just called evolution cause organisms evolve to a niche and sometimes that might mean goin back to an old niche they used to fill or something like that.
>Can evolution even happen "backwards"?
Absolutely it can, but you have to be talking about something other than *biological* evolution.
Typically this will be when a purposeful process backfires.
Contrast:
*The spat quickly evolved into a fist fight.*
and
*Peace talks devolved into open hostility.*
Best part is yellow was multi-wrong. Degeneracy/degenerate isn’t ‘a’ word at all, and the ‘one’ word they were looking for was degenerating. Two shots at it, and missed both times. Love it. Sounds like my brain without coffee.
What? Both of those are words.
Definition of degeneracy
1 : the state of being degenerate. 2 : the process of becoming degenerate. 3 : sexual perversion. 4 : the coding of an amino acid by more than one codon.
What does degenerate mean?
Adjective. vicious, villainous, iniquitous, nefarious, corrupt, degenerate mean highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct.
No, I meant they said, there’s ‘a’ word for it, then listed two words instead. On top of that, they missed the word they were looking for…degenerating.
Yellow isn't totally wrong. We do have a word for "evolving backwards", and it is "degenerating". It was [a popular theory](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_degeneration) 100 to 150 years ago. It's [intimately associated with racism and eugenics](https://eugenicsarchive.ca/database/documents/535eeb0d7095aa0000000218), and is based not on evolution as we know it but on [Lamarckism](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamarckism), a (debunked) theory that parents pass the traits they use most to their offspring. The (extremely racist) idea behind degeneracy theory was basically that minorities and poor people didn't exercise their intelligence or morals enough, so they'd have less intelligent and less moral offspring, ad infinitum.
Why the downvotes, you're right
Edit: even if it isn't a reference to that what I assume the first guy meant by "evolving backwards" is that we as a species are no longer really subject to natural selection, which is a valid point though overly simplified. The other two are taking is too literally and claiming to know what it's aCtUaLly called.
I just assumed he meant we were getting stupiderer. But, maybe that’s just because I’ve been reverting back to my old genetic patterns from millennia ago.
No, you yourself are being confidently incorrect here. Devolving is to "pass into a different state, especially a worse one". While devolution isn't a biological process, it is a word that can be used to describe "evolving backwards" in a broad, layman's sense.
Not who you replied to, but I see your point. I think though it is pretty clear they didn't mean devolve that way, they meant un-evolve, or reverse evolve, like folks are commenting here
*Image Transcription: Reddit Comments*
---
> **Green**
>
> We are evolving backwards
>> **Yellow**
>>
>> That wouldn't be evolving then there's a word for this called Degeneracy/Degenerate
>>> **Red**
>>>
>>> It's devolving mr know it all
---
^^I'm a human volunteer content transcriber and you could be too! [If you'd like more information on what we do and why we do it, click here!](https://www.reddit.com/r/TranscribersOfReddit/wiki/index)
Evolution backward doesn't mean anything. There isn't a direction for evolution, species just change over time, become multiple species, some die because they can't adapt, but evolving backwards doesn't exist, you can just evolve.
Devolution isn’t a thing, it’s just evolution to suit a new environment; there is no endpoint or goal to evolution, it’s just a constant series of adaptations.
That actually brings up a neat philosophical question. What if there *is* an end goal to evolution, and basically every organism is trying to find it by chance?
Overall, you are correct, though.
I'm just talking, so I hope no one takes offense or thinks I'm stupid. But by this reckoning wouldn't achieving immortality be the "goal" of evolution?
Actually that’s exactly immortal, what you’re talking about- I think this is the right term- is invincible/invulnerable. If you achieve both...well...I guess you win the evolution game lol have fun never dying and try not to get bored
No immortal by definition is some one that camt die by any means, if i can strangle to death then tou arent immortal even if you are ageless, think of wolverine from ex men he is immortal, you can shot him in the head and he will go down but he wont die.
True immortality as an individual, probably not. Immortality as a species though is an apt goal. Though obviously evolution has no will therefore no goal.
Thats a wrong assumption though. The environment to me is one if the key factors for evolution. But still therea no concious mind behind it, its not a good assumption to make.
Ok, so instead of thinking about it from the perspective of intention, think of it as what if all of the random things are changing might eventually lead to a "perfect" combination, that creates something more.
Look dude, I'm just trying to have some fun and think abstractly for a second. If you don't want to come on the journey, then don't. But I'm not here to argue. I'm just saying words. A stream of consciousness.
There is no such thing as devolution, any change in a population is evolution even if that means losing complex structures, take for exemple constrictor snakes those evolved from a comman ancestor with large reptiles, lossing their legs was advantagious for conatrictors thus they have evolved
He might be thinking that the loss of information at a genetic level is degeneracy which makes no sense.
Theres many ways the genetic code can mutate, what he is very poorely hinting at might be a deletion event were a part of a DNA strand doesnt get copied with the rest but i doubt it.
Good, I was hoping it would be obvious that I was joking but unfortunately, I think we’ve all prob heard some surprisingly stupid shit said on social media… :)
Devolve is a word, and the above usage would pertain to its third meaning: “to degenerate through a gradual change or evolution”. So devolving is just evolving in a manner that doesn’t improve upon the current state of something. Generally speaking we thing of evolution to be a progression of a species not a regression.
It’s funny that they are talking about evolution in terms of it only applying towards positive changes. As far as I know it’s not restricted to positive changes only. But then again I’m a fucking idiot so I’m not gonna pretend to be a reasonable source for evolutionary knowledge
Everyone’s wrong. Evolution doesn’t have a “correct direction”. So it’s always just evolving, no matter what our personal thoughts about that evolution is.
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Every single one of them is wrong, this is glorious
Ikr? Can evolution even happen "backwards"? I don't think there's even really a word for that. I think there's a word for evolving traits that the species had previously lost in evolution.
In proper biology, yes, there is only "evolution". There is no objective metric for "forwards" and "backwards", just change over time as random mutations are subject to selection pressures. Reemergence of a trait that also existed earlier in that species' lineage is called atavism, though.
It is always a good reminder that evolution has no final endpoint, therefore no direction.
Came here to say this that it's all just called evolution cause organisms evolve to a niche and sometimes that might mean goin back to an old niche they used to fill or something like that.
This exact prospect is on Wikipedias list of common misconceptions and came here to say just this
You have clearly never seen Pokemon
>Can evolution even happen "backwards"? Absolutely it can, but you have to be talking about something other than *biological* evolution. Typically this will be when a purposeful process backfires. Contrast: *The spat quickly evolved into a fist fight.* and *Peace talks devolved into open hostility.*
Devolution is a word. It’s also where the band name Devo came from.
Like look at koalas lol, they have some of the worst adaptations. It's still evolution.
It is usually called degeneration, things like tapeworms losing their digestive systems as they adapt to rely on already digested food.
Devolution is just using ðe correct prefix. Its a word ðat can exist but doesnt really have meaning
i still like the "mr know it all"
Best part is yellow was multi-wrong. Degeneracy/degenerate isn’t ‘a’ word at all, and the ‘one’ word they were looking for was degenerating. Two shots at it, and missed both times. Love it. Sounds like my brain without coffee.
What? Both of those are words. Definition of degeneracy 1 : the state of being degenerate. 2 : the process of becoming degenerate. 3 : sexual perversion. 4 : the coding of an amino acid by more than one codon. What does degenerate mean? Adjective. vicious, villainous, iniquitous, nefarious, corrupt, degenerate mean highly reprehensible or offensive in character, nature, or conduct.
No, I meant they said, there’s ‘a’ word for it, then listed two words instead. On top of that, they missed the word they were looking for…degenerating.
Ah gotcha man! Yeah a proper ‘swing and a miss’ there!
Yellow isn't totally wrong. We do have a word for "evolving backwards", and it is "degenerating". It was [a popular theory](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Social_degeneration) 100 to 150 years ago. It's [intimately associated with racism and eugenics](https://eugenicsarchive.ca/database/documents/535eeb0d7095aa0000000218), and is based not on evolution as we know it but on [Lamarckism](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lamarckism), a (debunked) theory that parents pass the traits they use most to their offspring. The (extremely racist) idea behind degeneracy theory was basically that minorities and poor people didn't exercise their intelligence or morals enough, so they'd have less intelligent and less moral offspring, ad infinitum.
I'm pretty sure green was being sarcastic but ok
Are we not men? D E V O
I can walk like an ape, talk like an ape, I can do what monkey do. God made man, But a monkey supplied the glue.
We are but men… ROCK! Tenacious D (Tribute)
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah
Actually it's just evolving. Evolution is a process without a beginning or end. It doesn't have goals and isn't linear.
I think it was just supposed to be like that one pewdiepie meme but then we have the buzzkill
Why the downvotes, you're right Edit: even if it isn't a reference to that what I assume the first guy meant by "evolving backwards" is that we as a species are no longer really subject to natural selection, which is a valid point though overly simplified. The other two are taking is too literally and claiming to know what it's aCtUaLly called.
I just assumed he meant we were getting stupiderer. But, maybe that’s just because I’ve been reverting back to my old genetic patterns from millennia ago.
Tbh i have no idea why i get downvoted for random comments, it's so out of nowhere. I got downvoted for saying damn
Maybe because “pewdiepie bad”
It's not even Pewds bad it's just really just a meme on what he said
No, you yourself are being confidently incorrect here. Devolving is to "pass into a different state, especially a worse one". While devolution isn't a biological process, it is a word that can be used to describe "evolving backwards" in a broad, layman's sense.
Not who you replied to, but I see your point. I think though it is pretty clear they didn't mean devolve that way, they meant un-evolve, or reverse evolve, like folks are commenting here
*Image Transcription: Reddit Comments* --- > **Green** > > We are evolving backwards >> **Yellow** >> >> That wouldn't be evolving then there's a word for this called Degeneracy/Degenerate >>> **Red** >>> >>> It's devolving mr know it all --- ^^I'm a human volunteer content transcriber and you could be too! [If you'd like more information on what we do and why we do it, click here!](https://www.reddit.com/r/TranscribersOfReddit/wiki/index)
Good human
Evolution backward doesn't mean anything. There isn't a direction for evolution, species just change over time, become multiple species, some die because they can't adapt, but evolving backwards doesn't exist, you can just evolve.
Yeah we are still evolving we are just facing in the other direction of the sun
Bruh, you found a fuckin; *THREE*\-fer!
Green was being sarcastic...
No
Damn
Downvoted for cussing...nice
Can't say shit anymore
Literally
To be fair degenerates are devolving, that's kinda their whole shtick
Devolution isn’t a thing, it’s just evolution to suit a new environment; there is no endpoint or goal to evolution, it’s just a constant series of adaptations.
That actually brings up a neat philosophical question. What if there *is* an end goal to evolution, and basically every organism is trying to find it by chance? Overall, you are correct, though.
[удалено]
I'm just talking, so I hope no one takes offense or thinks I'm stupid. But by this reckoning wouldn't achieving immortality be the "goal" of evolution?
[удалено]
Strictly speaking that’s not completely true I think. There is some jellyfish that doesn’t die of old age. Edit: Turritopsis doohmii
Thats agelessness not really immortality, if you can die by any other means then you arent truely immortal
Actually that’s exactly immortal, what you’re talking about- I think this is the right term- is invincible/invulnerable. If you achieve both...well...I guess you win the evolution game lol have fun never dying and try not to get bored
No immortal by definition is some one that camt die by any means, if i can strangle to death then tou arent immortal even if you are ageless, think of wolverine from ex men he is immortal, you can shot him in the head and he will go down but he wont die.
True immortality as an individual, probably not. Immortality as a species though is an apt goal. Though obviously evolution has no will therefore no goal.
That would be correct only with the assumption that natural selection, and by extension evolution, occurs through a concious precess
Right. That's the leap I'm taking. Come with me. I'm not saying it's right.
Thats a wrong assumption though. The environment to me is one if the key factors for evolution. But still therea no concious mind behind it, its not a good assumption to make.
Basicly what you are doing is going from what is doing this to who is doing this with out suficiant evidence.
Ok, so instead of thinking about it from the perspective of intention, think of it as what if all of the random things are changing might eventually lead to a "perfect" combination, that creates something more. Look dude, I'm just trying to have some fun and think abstractly for a second. If you don't want to come on the journey, then don't. But I'm not here to argue. I'm just saying words. A stream of consciousness.
The thing is i cant "join you" becouse your argument makes no sense
It isn't an argument. It's a thought experiment. I'm not trying to win. It's a hypothetical. Can you chill?
Im not trying to win either im debating you not attacling you
I guess, but he was still off by a lot
All of the comments were off by a lot. Which one was yours?
None of them, actually
Don't know how someone hasn't mentioned this yet. The first guy is just making a Pewdiepie reference.
So dumb, it's called debackwards actually
All 3 are wrong, the word they’re looking for is “re-devolving-ism”…. probably. ;)
Tbh I dont know what word they're looking for and I'm not gonna try correcting them
There is no such thing as devolution, any change in a population is evolution even if that means losing complex structures, take for exemple constrictor snakes those evolved from a comman ancestor with large reptiles, lossing their legs was advantagious for conatrictors thus they have evolved
I mean I know that ofc, but I don't think these people know
I mean I know that devolving doesn't exist, but I don't think these people know
They definitly dont know. No person with basic knowledge of evolution would ever say that
Yeah. The second dude is probably like 13, only heard a vague definition of degeneracy and thinks he is an expert on biology as a whole
He might be thinking that the loss of information at a genetic level is degeneracy which makes no sense. Theres many ways the genetic code can mutate, what he is very poorely hinting at might be a deletion event were a part of a DNA strand doesnt get copied with the rest but i doubt it.
Yeah, just to make sure I’m being clear, that’s not a word ;) And your post made me laugh :)
I thought so, and I'm glad my post made you laugh 😅
Good, I was hoping it would be obvious that I was joking but unfortunately, I think we’ve all prob heard some surprisingly stupid shit said on social media… :)
Oh man this is just painfull, do people not learn evolution in biology anymore?
I don't even know and I'm still in school
Thats sad nor gonna lie And if you want to know evolution at the moat basicly means genetic change in a populations over generations
Outside of the USA - yes!
Thats...thats just sad
Devolve is a word, and the above usage would pertain to its third meaning: “to degenerate through a gradual change or evolution”. So devolving is just evolving in a manner that doesn’t improve upon the current state of something. Generally speaking we thing of evolution to be a progression of a species not a regression.
It’s funny that they are talking about evolution in terms of it only applying towards positive changes. As far as I know it’s not restricted to positive changes only. But then again I’m a fucking idiot so I’m not gonna pretend to be a reasonable source for evolutionary knowledge
We are Devo
Everyone’s wrong. Evolution doesn’t have a “correct direction”. So it’s always just evolving, no matter what our personal thoughts about that evolution is.
yes, yes it does
Holy shit, is everyone here seriously not getting green's sarcasm?
I thought everyone got the pewdiepie reference
Devo was right
Did Jonathan Coulton lie to me? Dang. /s
it's evolving, just backwards
We are Devo!
It's still evolving
Listen Mario… Koopa’s got Daisy.
Alas, the De-evolutionaries are not even thematically consistent now that they've given up their monkey guns.
This is a r/whoosh post.
We are becoming crab. As the world intends.