The evolutionary implications of the contemporary world population explosion and the mass migration of human population

Abstract

At this crucial time in the history of the world when the human population is doubling and redoubling with increasing rapidity it is necessary to direct attention to the evolutionary implications of contemporary world population growth and the mass migration of human populations. Evolution is simply a statement of what happens in this universe. No species or subspecies is teleologically predestined for biological advancement or glory. On the contrary entire species and subspecies can become extinct far more rapidly than it takes them to climb even the smallest rung of the evolutionary ladder. Although it is not possible to speculate on the future course of evolution in respect of the diverse races of humankind it is possible to identify the principles that guide the course of population change. Life is both an ancient and ongoing process involving species and subspecies in which organic beings are but links to an ongoing chain. The phylogenetic continuum not the individual is the ongoing vehicle which perpetuates life and which has biologic meaning. The individual is no more than the trustee of the life force embedded in his/her genes and as an individual is only important in that he/she holds in trust in these genes the destiny of that particular evolutionary experimental population to whose gene pool the individual belongs. Consequently it is necessary to remember that the life force in each individual is at least 31/2 billion years old and that it is a very sacred trust. Care should be taken to ensure that the next generation is endowed with at least as good a collection of genes as went into the making of the previous generation. The ability to do this depends upon very simple and basic actions. It depends upon who mates with whom and how many offspring they produce. In a natural environment the process of selection operates to create a variety of diverse life forms which survive through either a passive adaptation to the conditions of the environment or an ability to vary their responses to meet the challenge of survival in changing environments. This process of selection depends upon another important proclivity i.e. all living organisms that have survived to the present have done so because they have developed the tendency to over-reproduce themselves and over population and the resultant competition for survival is an integral element in the evolutionary process. Without overpopulation and imbalances in the rate of successful reproduction little or no evolutionary change would occur. In sum the study of evolution teaches 1 lesson above all others. The future belongs to the reproductively more successful just so long as they in turn can ensure that their more numerous offspring will be able to penetrate new territories and have access to the additional economic resources they will need for their own survival and further multiplicatio.