I have no idea about the “long-long” run :-)
The limiting of birth rates can last for a very long time as long as you stay at replacement rates. I don’t think “obvious evolutionary reasons” apply to humans any more, it’s not likely another species will outcompete us by breeding faster.
Any genes that make people defect by having more children are going to be (and are currently being) positively selected.
Besides, reducing birthrates to replacement isn’t anything near a universal phenomenon, see the Mormons and Amish.
It’s got nothing to do with another species out-competing us—competition between humans is more than enough.
This observation should be true throughout the history of the human race, and yet the birth rates in the developed countries did fall off the cliff...
And animals don’t breed well in captivity.
Until they do.
and yet the birth rates in the developed countries did fall off the cliff...
This happened barely half a generational cycle ago. Give evolution time.
Give evolution time.
So what’s your prediction for what will happen when?
I have no idea about the “long-long” run :-)
The limiting of birth rates can last for a very long time as long as you stay at replacement rates. I don’t think “obvious evolutionary reasons” apply to humans any more, it’s not likely another species will outcompete us by breeding faster.
Any genes that make people defect by having more children are going to be (and are currently being) positively selected.
Besides, reducing birthrates to replacement isn’t anything near a universal phenomenon, see the Mormons and Amish.
It’s got nothing to do with another species out-competing us—competition between humans is more than enough.
This observation should be true throughout the history of the human race, and yet the birth rates in the developed countries did fall off the cliff...
And animals don’t breed well in captivity.
Until they do.
This happened barely half a generational cycle ago. Give evolution time.
So what’s your prediction for what will happen when?