Wow, how did I miss this? I made a similar blog post (although mine was much more on the wild speculation side of things!). How coincidental!

http://larianlequella.com/2008/11/autism-spectrum-and-human-evolution.shtml

To understand autism as a step in evolution, the focus should be on the evolutionary ADVANTAGES, not the DISADVANTAGES. Therefore, a mutation that leads to anti-social behavior would still not be advantageous to human evolution. However, increased intelligence would in fact be an advantage. I associate many forms of autism with higher than normal intelligence, albeit with social deficiencies. Autism may be one form of nature’s messy attempt to select higher intelligence. Perhaps autistic persons that have enough social skills to reproduce will be the next step in human evolution.

Fascinating! I’ve noticed several references to Childhood’s End in the comments–so as long as we’re talking sci-fi, let’s throw in Darwin’s Radio. As I understand it, that book was informed by real science (along with plenty of wild speculation, yes) and it certainly raises some questions about how punctuated equilibrium might look to those who have the rare opportunity to see it in motion.

As to the notion of de-evolution, I’d like to remind everyone here that from an objective standpoint, de-evolution does not exist. There is only genetic change fueled by environmental change. We adapt in response to changes in our environment and it is only natural that some of those adaptations should turn out to be unsuccessful. Personally, I don’t see how “severe” autism is going to enhance anyone’s ability to thrive and reproduce. (No offense intended to anyone.) But look at someone with high-functioning autism, someone who possesses both the larger brain AND the ability to function at a reasonable level within society. Then (assuming that autism is even heritable in the first place) we end up with offspring that have tremendously improved memory, focus, and the abililty to make brilliant connections between seemingly unrelated subjects. Will we all be auties someday? Maybe not, but at the very least it’s beneficial for some percentage of the human population to have these kinds of specialized brains. Depending on their area(s) of specialization, autistic folks can become superior artists, programmers, analysts, architects, engineers, statisticians, designers, inventors, and more. How does that improve our viability as a species within this artificial environment that we’ve created? How doesn’t it, is what I’d like to know.

In case anyone cares, I’m an NT with autistic friends, family and students; and a firm supporter of the autistic cause.

There are two types of evolution. Evolution that benefits the individual and evolution that benefits the group at the expense of the individual.
In this case, it’s hard to see how the individual is benefited (less evolutionary fit) and it’s also hard to see how the group is benefited (more resources being poured into unproductive areas).

The only way out is to look for a third avenue of evolution: evolution that benefits the ecosystem at the expense of the species.

The massive population of human beings has a huge effect on the environment and the environmental services we all depend on. Perhaps autism is a way that nature is forcing us to scale back. A natural check.

Food for thought.

ok first off adaptation has nothing to do with ones ability to reproduce. adaptation is the copacity to “cope” with changes in an environment. i however realize that autism may not do that in the most noticable way. it most definitely does just very discretely. i have been around several persons (kid and adults with autism) most of which are contrary to popular belief extremely intellegent. i watched a kid crack a trig problem i really didn’t get in no time flat. i watched a 53 year old autistic man rape the shit out of my uncle in texas holdem (counting cards). i’ve also noticed that usually they are only extra intellegent in one or two specific areas (usually math or problem solving). huh problem solving sounds alot like what i have to do every day you’d think any person of whom better understands said problem would have a better chance of solving said problems thus, being able to productively succeeding in life. now understand the notion of autism as the next “stage” may yet be a little hard to fathom at this time but thats just it. darwin was outcasted be the enirety of the amercan society and ridiculed for suggesting something new. i think what you my friend fail to understand is by discarding such ideas is an insult to science and if your to claim yourself a scientist than consider my point. the idea behind science the passion is to open your minds to that of the world around you don’t focus so much on fact or fiction focus more on how and why. how does it work and why does it work like this. in order to fully comprehend that of another you first have to set aside everything you know so your mind is open to a persons values and beliefs. its not your wrong this is how it works but much rather why do you think it works like this how can you help me undersand/show me that is works like this. btw you need to find better methods of persuation my twelve year old brother broke down your word play in a matter of seconds you showed little to none “evidence” to back up your point. you through in the mass amounts of geneplay opposing to that of MOST adaptations and that autism may indeed hinder ones ability to reproduce. i want you to research the increasing amount of autistic rape victims you might find the results startling and quite oppositional to one of your main (and only legitament) points. and try not to use the word geek my brother finds it offensive and claims that he has a harder time as an autistic child in society because of society not because he can’t understand things as well as most people. when you want to be a real scientist let me know. my email addy is yamabushizensei@yahoo.com and when you respond inform me if you would on the results of your research.

The reason we are unique as human’s lies somewhere between language and social skills. Little is still known to why we are unique as humans and separated from animals. The argument follows that we have adapted through evolution from apes to human through our ability to form higher social skills and thus language. To determine whether we have ‘theory of mind’ or why would lack this social ability to ‘read’ others minds, may root in the differences between humans and animals. Did language come 1st or the ability to think? It is argued that we are only able to reason due to our ability to speak. Therefore, animals are neither able to speak or ‘think’. The reason we are social animals and have created an ability to talk is due to the fact we are highly social beings with the need to rank in society and to communicate. ‘Theory of mind’ has also been argued to be missing in autistic children and will their disadvantages in social skills and some parts verbal and non-verbal behaviour I am wandering that through evolution they may be the missing link between our predecessor’s apes and humans? Is this possible? Who is to say autism is a new thing, who’s to say it has not been around before the human adaptation we see now. If we adapted why is there nothing in between apes and us? Many studies have tried to prove animals have ‘theory of mind’ and intelligence, an awareness of others mind and mental states but none have come close to show that our predecessors have more than mere stimulus-response associations. I have worked with extreme autistic children and would quite often describe their behaviour as ‘animalistic’ fulfilling only their basic biological needs only communicating if wanting something to help them survive. However, this does not explain the spectrum of the disorder from extreme to aspergers. What I am referring too is only the far extreme scale of autism. Therefore, does their lack of ‘theory of mind’ adapted social skills in order to fit in with the enviroment, convey they are in fact a form of adaptation?

I am no scientist and don’t mean to offend anyone with my comments merely hypothesising

Well, I have thought of this before too and searched to see if anyone else had…I don’t believe that ASD folks are truly unable to connect with others. What I mean by truly is that human socialization currently is rife with dishonestly and that to suceed you need an ability to be dishonest and insensitive-to play the game. People born with an increased sensitivity are traumatized by what is being required of them and it’s possible that this trauma happens at a very young age, causing them to express their distress intensly. ASD people have increased sensitivity to pollutants, allergenic and non ancestral foods, perhaps too antibiotics and vaccines. They are more sensitive to stimuli such as noise and get overwhelmed by crowds. But I have read of studies showing that it’s untrue that they can’t recognize emotions on people’s faces. They just don’t respond conventionally (which is to say as we are often required to do, dishonestly) . We all know, right, that “correct” response to people is societal and doesn’t really exist. Aren’t Asperger’s people brutally honest? That’s not the same as unable to recognize emotions. It’s the same as not being able to lie or “play the game”. And actually that game is a bunch of BS. It makes sense to me that asd people suffer-i am one-this society is no place for a highly sensitive person and i know i personally just don’t have the kind of brain which can conform and learn to play an utterly useless and soul sucking game-i spent most of my life trying, to no avail. I continue to be my highly attuned self with visual thinking and suffer everyday from environmental stimuli which humans were never intended to process. I do think this is true-that this is how humans are evolving and it’s because sensitivity to an actually intolerable situation makes total sense-if people had this kind of inability to deal on a lager scale we would not be creating such an unhealthy world. And Oh yeah I know that people w/ aspergers are often incredibly talented at creating destructive technology. I want to say that most of the stuff i’ve read from autism support groups focuses on placing autistic people in a functioning role so that they can be contributing members of society. This does not focus on the autistic person’s true well being or talents but on their conforming to society where there might be a place for a geeky person to fit in-like in a cubicle in front of a screen. Instead of looking for tiny square niches in a world of BS people need to ask what asd folks really need to be happy as themselves.Also savant abililities could be directed toward creating sustainable technology but i wonder if the people mentoring them are just to often being like-fuction and make money however you can that’s what matters. to that mom-you wish your kid was not autistic-have you thought of how painful it must be for someone to exist in a culture so not made for them? Maybe you should think of wishing that society wasn’t so twisted and could accomodate someone like your child.Oh yeah, and I’m a mom too-even this geek managed to get knocked up. this article is descriminating and offensive and you(the author) are the insensitive a-hole that i hope becomes extinct.

i used to babysit autistic infants, and let me tell you they are much smarter at much more complicated matters than normal kids, they are also a handful..

One day it will be all obsolete. We will no longer be at the mercy of chance in evolution. With inroads made in understanding how thought processes work, in understanding what does what in the human genome and nanotechnology, we can control the direction of our evolution. Cancer is cells dividing out of control. But if we could use it to combat cell ageing, dying of old age will be a matter of choice. People who are autistic can make a choice to unlock their full potential, and so do the non-autistic. Even now paraplegics can choose to have robotic limbs, in the future we could be enhanced with nanobots to superhuman levels, see further, run faster, able to solve delicate problems with ease. Technology is our evolution. Disorders, physical or mental, will soon be a thing of the past.

Your understanding of evolution seems a bit off base. Autism IS probably an evolutionary step, or “over-step” to be more accurate. Like you said many genes make an autistic person autistic. All of these genes have been being passed down through many generations. Many of the intellectual benefits an autistic child possesses their parents possess to a lesser degree. Many of these ‘benefits’ are evolutionary benefits that have made the parents more suitable mates. The problem is that the autistic child got a few too many of the wrong genes and is unable to socially function. They unfortunately will not be chosen as mates and the selection process continues with millions of others until the right combinations of the right genes occur and those most “suitable” reproduce and the rest get weeded out unfortunately. Along with autism, most other psychological disorders, such as schizophrenia and bipolar, are thought to be evolutionary “over-steps” as well. We can expect our future species to be incredibly smart, creative and telepathic!

I was just thinking the EXACT same thing.

This is not only the absolute reality but the biggest missconception or deceptive information ever pushed on intellegent people of the world. Unfortunatley most people are so pre occupied with there superficial selves that they choose not to recognize the evolutionary progress of man kind. It’s just like to society to ignore and down play god’s natural proccess of progress. If science can’t recognise the obvious cycle of evolution based on the progress of technology then maybe uneducated ignorant individuals of the world like me should be calling the shots when it comes to rsearch. That’s enough anger and outright disappointment for one post your comments are welcome. P.S. Ihave a 5 year old PERFECT Autistic little boy, and I use the lable Autistic as the ultimate compliment in antisapation for the great contributions he will bring to this world of smoke and mirrors. Thx

There is proof that we are evolving at a rapid space in time. Our DNA is going to be different after the 12.21.12 changes occur. I fully believe in my heart that Autism is a blessing and not a disorder. It only comes across that way to us all because we all are experiencing this illusion of reality at a low vibrating consciousness.

This article is more of a subjective retort then an actual look into the science of the issue, and the possible direction this mutation can take in the human race as it evolves. Not to mention how humans evolve is no longer going to be based on purely survival of the fittest in the wild dynamic, nullifying most of what this says anyways. As for autism “if it’s even real…” are you serious can anyone even consider themselves a scientist with that way of thinking, its pompous and arrogant, also (here)[http://www.nytimes.com/2012/04/05/health/research/scientists-link-rare-gene-mutations-to-heightened-risk-of-autism.html?_r=3&ref=science]

Extinction is the next stage of human evolution.

Autism playing a role in evolution is a very real and
possible occurrence. Human emotions encompass insecurity, among other emotions…all
of which can create a hoarding process called greed. If people used just data
they could probably calculate the demise of our planet with a lot more accuracy
and reevaluate their objectives for energy and profit. Also, with
overpopulation, there will be a moment when our own growth, as a species, will
be compromised, almost like the increase in autoimmune diseases. I personally believe
humans are not evolving fast enough. If our planet is suffering, to balance
this out, humans must slow down and have more reasoning. Like an autoimmune
disease, our own bodies will evolve and fix the problem. Lacking emotions, we
will slow down reproduction and allow the world to heal. Autism being a part of
evolution is very real and makes total sense.

Adaptation isn’t just about individual survival, it’s also about group survival.  It could very well be the case that groups of people who have more autistic babies gain advantages over groups who don’t.  So if a mother has 2 children and one of them is autistic and becomes a brilliant computer programmer who increases the family’s wealth, this could in the long run increase that family’s long-term survival without requiring numerous offspring.  Human babies require intensive care from their parents – they are not like crocodiles that hatch out of an egg and go out on their own.  The more children that a mother has, the less she is able to take care of each one.  Hell, it could even be the case that an autistic baby increases its own chances of survival by requiring even more intensive care, which discourages parents from having more babies.  So it could be good for its siblings as well as for itself.  It’s also fallacious to assume that autistics never have babies – they just have a more difficult time of it and probably have them much later in life than more socially adept people.  But if most people stop having kids after 2, then there is no disadvantage to being autistic – in fact there is an advantage because by waiting longer, they are able to save up more resources for healthcare and gain vital life experience to raise it intelligently, thus giving their baby an edge.

So then by that logic, would you say that Mexicans are the more highly evolved race?

The web site is the story of my autistic son diagnosed at a time when maternal rejection was regarded as the cause, and psychotherapy was the treatment. And the website address is
30145.myauthorsite.com

Kids on the lower functioning end of the spectrum are quite capable of being intellectually and high functioning. The reason they are doing self stimulating activities is that they have sensory over load. I suggest that you, being a teacher, put each individual student in a room with nothing on the walls, paint them white and let them have what they self stimulate to focus on. Make sure the room is sound proofed. Then reach them through pictures. Offer 2. Make sure the picture of the object has a white back ground. And for heavens sake don’t talk. Have another picture with just lines on white paper with a happy face~2 eyes and a mouth…keep it simple. And don’t look directly at them unless they want you to. We are evolution even when on the low end of the spectrum. We are just overwhelmed. Typical minds can try to experience some of what we know by practicing meditation…the concept of ‘one hand clapping’ comes to mind. Keep that meditation while going to a mall and observe. That’s only a fraction of what we see, smell, feel, hear,… etc. You may wish to come out of the meditation because it will be too much. …the diffence for us is … we can’t come out…we learn to ‘deal’ with it all. We are evolved. We are intelligent. We are just overwhelmed and baby steps help us catorize everything. Lots of rules to get by here…lots of rules.