As a biologist, do you think there is truth to the statement that during most of our evolution we had worms living inside us as a rule, and not an exception? That somehow the absence of these worms disturbs an evolved equilibrium?
That was my guess, thanks. Have people done projections of what effects our current behaviors will have on us ? Most of us are sitting, starring at a lighted screen for hours at a time. Will this have an effect on how our bodies evolve over time? I suppose this has only been a very short period of time in the grand scheme of things and could potentially be a short lived era, who knows.
You have to keep in mind that what we do has nothing to do with how we evolve. How we elvolve has only to do with how we produce offspring. So unless being a couch potato has a comparative advantage over not being one (in terms of likeliness of having kids), then I think it won't affect how we change in the future.
As a biologist, I'd say no. This seems to be an argument used for and against a number of lifestyle choices. It's a simplistic and reductionist argument that often doesn't make sense. I've often heard the argument that humans haven't drank milk until recently, and thus, you shouldn't. However, many humans continue to produce lactase throughout their lives, and for them, milk has represented an excellent source of nutrition. Humans have been struggling with lice for ages. However, it's very unlikely that ridding ourselves of them we have lost more than we have gained. I'd say that the same goes for large intestinal parasites.
You use the milk analogy just to reassure your milk loving self. Do you think the example of us using hand sanitizer's and therefore missing out on the strengthening of our resistance to certain bacterias etc is an example of us missing out on pathogens that are beneficial over time? -I'm sure I'm using the wrong language here and if so, I apologize but I'm guessing you catch my point.
Floating Cheerios in it just hides the truth. I think it's a case by case issue, and the problem is that people often generalize the argument when it's convenient. No doubt, too much sterility is likely a bad thing.You use the milk analogy just to reassure your milk loving self.
Do you think the example of us using hand sanitizer's and therefore missing out on the strengthening of our resistance to certain bacterias etc is an example of us missing out on pathogens that are beneficial over time?