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>Yeah, seems like either a clickbait title, or maybe they believe their readership is so misinformed as to believe that human evolution could and has stopped. I'd not be surprised if, especially in the US, a large percentage of the public does actually believe this. When the belief is that of "creationism"[0], it's not so far to go to reject evidence of, well, anything that runs counter to the narrative espoused by a variety of those belief systems. Including the fact of evolution. I'd point out that those who subscribe to such belief systems are a large fraction of the human population, the largest contingent of which are not resident in the United States, nor are they Americans. And perhaps those who create such titles are cynically exploiting the gullible. Then again, I'd posit that Hanlon's Razor[1] be assessed in this case. Such an assessment might well uncover cynicism/evil, but probably not -- as those involved may well subscribe to the belief systems referenced above and/or are ignorant/dumb. All that said, such an idea isn't new. Here's an analog[0] from more than 400 years ago (circa 1600AD): What a piece of work is a man, How noble in reason, how infinite in faculty,
In form and moving how express and admirable, In action how like an Angel, In
apprehension how like a god, The beauty of the world, The paragon of animals
[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/What_a_piece_of_work_is_a_man[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanlon%27s_razor |
I was referring to scientific illiteracy/denial rather than creationists (who don't believe we're the product of evolution in the first place).
I don't think Hanlon's Razor applies here. The author of a Harvard Magazine article is unlikely to be stupid, especially given the article in question, nor can choosing a clickbait title be considered as "malice". One can wonder what was the exact thought process in coming up with the title - perhaps more charitably they just thought that many people might think that human evolution is slowing, if not actually stopped, or maybe there really wasn't much thought put into it at all !