don's report archive

by Donald B. Ardell, Ph. D.

Wellness in the Headlines
(Don's Report to the World)

If we are going to teach creation science as an alternative to evolution, then we should also teach the stork theory as an alternative to biological reproduction.  ~Judith Hayes

You ever noticed how people who believe in Creationism look really unevolved? You ever noticed that? Eyes real close together, eyebrow ridges, big furry hands and feet. "I believe God created me in one day" Yeah, looks like He rushed it. ~Bill Hicks

In a recent essay, the extent of the increase in American obesity was described. Research was cited that suggests genetics seems to play a dominant role, which, in turn, led several visitors to ask: "Why? What explains the evolutionary leap in a backwards or non-adaptive direction toward rampant obesity?"

I asked my Aussie savant, the good polymath scholar Grant Donovan, Ph.D. He replied:

Don, as you know, the gene factor has always been my favorite explanation for all that is good and bad in the world, from brilliant athletes and musicians to psychopathic killers. Yes, environment plays a part in daily behaviors, but our genes make us who we are. Thus, for instance, my chances of running as fast as you, no matter how hard I train, are very slim indeed.

There is interesting work coming out of evolutionary paleontology. It seems to suggest that the speed of human evolution is quickening, with five major evolutionary changes marking the development of hominids. The first change took 40 million years but the fifth change required less than 160,000 years. The sixth change is happening as we speak. The evidence is in the orthodontic records. These records show that more than 80 percent of children today have receding chins. This is caused by the base of the human skull flexing, causing the back of the head to grow larger, housing more neural connections and causing the lower front of the face to retract. Thus, our kids are getting smarter by about 15 IQ points every generation. But, they are also getting fatter, so it just goes to show, you can't have everything. Is this evolution forward, backward or a bit of both? Who can say? No matter which side of life you look on, you will always see a fair bit of chance and chaos before you die on the road to nowhere. The fact is 'Icantdoit' is the reality for most but it doesn't really matter that people 'cantdoit.' Just go about your business and try to have fun before you die.

I forwarded Dr. Donovan's comment to Bob Ludlow, another savant polymath scholar friend of mine. I asked him to comment on Grant's idea about the evolutionary leap, in a backwards or non-adaptive direction, via rampant obesity. Here is Bob's response:

Don, where does Grant get these ideas? A 15-point increase in IQ in one generation, due to evolution? He believes in a 15 percent increase in human intelligence in ONE GENERATION, as a result of natural selection? Natural selection is a glacially slow process. Does he mean one millenium? I would still be equally skeptical of that claim. Maybe evolution of human intelligence is speeding up, although it's hard to imagine what the mechanism might be. Remember, evolutionary change is based on differential survival and reproduction. This implies that people with higher intelligence are reproducing at a higher rate than their less-gifted cohorts. It implies that this survival/reproductive advantage is so enormous that we are seeing the results in a single generation. If true, I would have surely heard about this. It would be, by far, the greatest news about evolution since Darwin wrote 'Origin.'

I shared Bob Ludlow's comments with Dr. Donovan, who responded:

No Don, not too many people are persuaded by much of anything I have to say. However, there is a very small but growing body of evidence being developed in France and Israel that is likely to turn the old evolutionary theories from 'glacial natural selection' to a little more chance genetic pre-programming. The rapid increase in skull base flexion is an example of this. I'm not saying it is true or proven at this point but, as I mentioned, the work coming out of evolutionary paleontology is compelling.

I told Dr. Donovan that he is way out there with this explanation, but I was not taking a position yet one way or the other. He replied:

Don, I love your non-position position. Those are my positions, which I reserve the right to change anytime for any reason. I love reading Bob's thoughts and revere your every word, so there is no argument with any positions or non-positions or non-position positions. In fact, I'm even happy with all the positions in the Karma Sutra. However, I'm betting my position on IQ and rapid evolutionary skull-base flexing will be a dominant position in the not too distant future.

Well, there you have it -- a far out explanation and a challenge to that interpretation. Speaking of far out, here are two quotes to ponder that, far more than the evolutional perspectives on rampant obesity from Donovan and Ludlow, reflect seriously divergent worldviews. The authors are Richard Dawkins and William Jennings Bryan, respectively. I don't think you will have any trouble figuring out which of the two wrote which of the excerpts.

After sleeping through a hundred million centuries we have finally opened our eyes on a sumptuous planet, sparkling with color, bountiful with life. Within decades we must close our eyes again. Isn't it a noble, an enlightened way of spending our brief time in the sun, to work at understanding the universe and how we have come to wake up in it? This is how I answer when I am asked - as I am surprisingly often - why I bother to get up in the mornings.

All the ills from which America suffers can be traced to the teaching of evolution.

What are YOUR thoughts on the connection, if any, between evolutionary processes and the escalation in obesity rates worldwide? Comments always welcomed and appreciated. Be well, and look on the bright side.

(Note: This essay will be filed in the archives in the MENTAL DOMAIN under the skill area of emotional intelligence. Additional articles related to this theme may be found there.)

(Ed. Note: Views expressed in this and other columns are those of the author and not necessarily those of the SeekWellness Editorial Board.)

 Send e-mail to Don Ardell