Is Asperger's Syndrome Evolutionary?
 

I have been researching the condition and found out a few things that got me thinking. People with Aspergers have trouble with the subtle social cues in society. In addition to that their methods of thinking is different. So it shouldn't come as a suprise that often people with Aspergers marry other people with Aspergers. Also they believe it is genetic. That means their children will most likely have Aspergers.

With these two trends it is likely we will one day see many family lines that have generation after generation of people with Aspergers. Isn't it evolutionary theory that new genes would appear and if they prove benificial then those with the gene would eventually seperate from or seperate the species. So is this an example of humanities evolution?

So does this mean I'm in the X-Men now?

Nah for real, as someone who has it, I'd be terrified to live in a world where it's that common. I'm kinda worried about how whoever's in charge would try to micromanage everything, and you know that society's gonna have a a hard time getting along when most people are scared to talk to each other.

There are some that believe what we need is a leader that could micromanage.

But remember the by-product of these social problems. The result is a person that preffers openness and honesty. A world where instead of games, lies, and deception, you have tactless honesty. You said society would have trouble getting along. But I have never heard of two people with aspergers that dont get along.

Its not that they are araid, its just uncomfertable. But in my opinion the reason your uncomferable is because they are not like you. Hard to be social when your considered the oddball. Dont you think that problem would just about vanish if your way of thinking was commonplace?

If your hypothesis (people with Aspergers will breed with each other and form a separate branch of humanity) holds true, then yes, this is evolution. I can't say whether it would be beneficial, since I don't know very much about Aspergers, but as long as it isn't actually harmful to the survival of the species then it's evolution. If it is harmful, then it should wipe itself out if evolution is allowed to run its course (which it won't be, since humanity has pretty much beaten Nature.)

As an aside, evolution isn't exactly about beneficial genes appearing. It says that when genetic mutations are beneficial to the species, they will be spread and evolve a new species, and when the mutations are harmful, they will die out. Exceptions occur, though-the allele that causes sickle cell anemia provides protection against malaria, but if a child inherits it from both parents (research the Punnet Square for more information), then they get sickle cell anemia.

Up until people with Asperger's syndrome either become the dominant trait, or an entirely new species, it is not 'evolution' per se. And as of yet, I really don't think you have enough evidence to hypothesize that either will happen. Sure, its possible. But it doesn't seem likely yet.

So as it stands, people with Asperger's syndrome remain merely an allelic variation to the 'normal' population (provided of course, that it is a gene controlled trait).

The thing is, you're using a very loose definition of evolution. According to how you're describing it, I can consider Amish people with 11 fingers a new step in human evolution (which is definitely genetic). In fact I could name a lot of traits that tend to cause people to marry one another as a source of evolution. So I tend to say that it isn't evolution, just species variation.

Also aspergers =/= honesty.

Aspergers means that you do not pick up on social cues, this can lead to sociopathic behaviors and anger and confusion on the part of the person affected by aspergers. As it is, someone with aspergers may be honest in what they think, but not in an acceptable manner. An example would be someone calling a woman a whore as standard practice in social environments and not understanding why the woman would find it offensive because (to the aspergerer) its true.

Species variation is part of evolution. Having eleven fingers is an evolutionary trait, though it might not actually have any effect on the species. It's these minor changes that add up and become noticeable enough to be a different species. It is only during major climate shifts that you have sudden evolutionary leaps, and even those occur over thousands of years.

Well, it goes without saying, of course. A whore is a whore, even if she doesn't like hearing it.

Seriously, though, it also comes down to that grasp of childlike innocence. Children are VERY perceptive. They'll notice things that adults never would, and have surprisingly good judgment with new people or right and wrong. Adults have been taught to think in shades of gray in both, which means Mommy's new boyfriend might be a real asshole, but she doesn't see it, or Daddy somehow doesn't mind turning Terabithia (Gawd, I hated that book! :gonk: ) into a parking lot.

Actually, that's not true. Having eleven fingers is a mutation. Mutations affect individuals, while evolution affects an entire population over time. Evolution works on the basis of promoting desired traits as a whole, where a mutation is just a fluke, good, bad, or neutral, and often the latter two.

Well I have Autism, and I haven't socialized much since I was a 10th or 11th grader. I still don't socialize much, but at least I go to Anime club.

Yeah, but in taking such a broad definition of evolution, which I don't think Aerozord intended to do, then every single genetic trait from Asperger's to eye color is evolution. Which of course it is, but that makes this "example of human evolution" thread completely pointless. Species variation is a part of evolution for sure, and a required part at that, but it is not 'evolution' in the sense this thread is intending in of itself. And I'm quite sure that the other major aspect of evolution is a change in species variation over time, so species variation alone is not enough to claim something is evolution. It is merely a fragment of what could become evolution.

And the answer to this is no, at least not yet and not likely. If we take "Species variation is part of evolution" as the standard by which we answer Aerozord's question, then me having black hair is an example of humanities evolution. And I'm quite sure that the other major aspect of evolution is a change in species variation over time, so when we negate the time aspect the answer is no, it is not.

I don't know if I'm being really clear or not, because 'evolution' is a very broad term. I might not even have understood what Aerozord was asking.