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I often notice people assume evolution to be "wise" and "nice" when searching for evolutionary explanations, which it is neither. Evolutionarily speaking, just

I often notice people assume evolution to be "wise" and "nice" when searching for evolutionary explanations, which it is neither. Evolutionarily speaking, just because something has evolved does not mean it happened for a purpose, or is useful at all. Pathological anxiety and depression may actually be purely disadvantageous mutations which nevertheless still passed evolution filters because they are not disadvantageous enough to wipe out 100% of their carriers. Or they may have a much uglier purpose than you have assumed, for example, to force weak individuals (in)voluntarily withdraw from consuming resources useful to others, or even to kill themselves completely, which might be "wise" during foraging times but is nothing but useless breakage in civilized age.

JoeAltmaier 11y ago
But most human variations are recent! We've changed more in the last 50,000 years than the previous 1M years. I'd say, instead of a real purpose, any 'breakages' are likely coincidental to some other, more advantageous adaptation. Getting smaller and more calorie-efficient (to suit the village/town/city/urban environment) may mean biochemical changes that change our mental state. Not because we 'need' that mental state, but because its better for the clan if more of us fit closer together. So many adaptations are sledgehammers for a smaller problem. Evolution doesn't plan; it just diddles around until something (sort of) works. And our bodies are the unfortunate result!