History Main / GoalOrientedEvolution

* In 2014, a strain of the Ebola virus, which causes hemorrhagic fever in its victims and, like many similar viruses, spreads only through direct contact with bodily fluids, arrived in the United States via a person who had recently been in Liberia. Immediately, people worried vocally that the virus would "become airborne" and wreak havoc on the population. The problem is that viruses do not "evolve to become airborne". The necessary changes would be no more likely to occur in random mutation than any other, and to date, no known fluid-transmitted virus has ever mutated in that particular way.

Moreover, it's important to understand that this entire process can only happen when many small adaptations, each having a short-term advantage, have a cumulative effect over time. Evolution ''cannot'' generate a certain trait if the development process towards that trait only starts paying off later down the road. Evolution, essentially, works like a [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greedy_algorithm Greedy Algorith]], which means that not only certain blunders might happen during its natural course (the [[ blind spot]] in vertebrate eyes sends its regards), but also particular features like the humanoid shape -- as succesful as they might be -- may be nothing but the result of historical accident, unlikely to show up if things had gone a little differently.

In actual evolutionary theory, this isn't really true. Populations gradually do become adapted to their environment, but there is no goal or plan involved. It is simply that organisms which happen to be well suited for their circumstances have more offspring -- which will also have those traits. Eventually those traits become the norm. Since the effects of different features on survival depend on the circumstances, different populations are each evolving to fit their particular circumstances, not towards some common goal. As circumstances change, so does the population. Things like greater complexity and intelligence may seem like progress to us, but to natural selection, they are just one way of surviving, and it could reduce both if it happened to help survival. More particular features like the humanoid shape may be nothing but the result of historical accident, unlikely to show up if things had gone a little differently. Also, those organisms which have changed more than other lineages are properly called more ''derived'', not more evolved. In fact, even before publishing his theory of evolution by natural selection, Darwin himself criticized this trope, writing in his notebooks that "It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another...". This might serve to emphasize how deluded the individuals who aspire to this really are, by thinking that nature cares about development. On the other hand, some might just be open-minded enough to realize that progress is a human concept, but still set out to cause it on their own.

-->'''Kei''': ''But amoebas don't build motorcycles or atomic bombs! They just eat up whatever gets in their way.''

* In the Universal Century timeline of the ''Franchise/{{Gundam}}'' series, Newtypes are seen as the next stage in human evolution, that occurred once humans went into space. The powers that Newtypes have differ from person to person(having heightened spatial awareness and quicker reflexes, ability to communicate mentally over long distances and even to those who are dead, etc.), but the most common trait is the ability to truly understand other people(especially other Newtypes)and the world around them. Many scientists and philosophers see Newtypes as the goal for what everyone should become in the future, and if that should happen, the world would be at peace. Some scientists and organizations have even created artificial Newtypes, known as Cyber-Newtypes. However, Cyber-Newtypes tend to be very unstable and unpredictable. And the idea that humanity would be at peace if everyone were Newtypes is dubious given that even natural Newtypes tend to be every bit as violent as "Oldtypes."

* The closest thing to this trope from mainstream science may be [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convergent_evolution convergent evolution]] -- some body shapes are so useful (within a specific environment, that is) that many species will evolve them independently: look at the similar shape of dolphins (mammals) and sharks (fish).
** One of the body plans evolution likes the most (so to speak)? Crabs. [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carcinisation No, really]].

* ''[[AvertedTrope Not]]'' the case in ''VideoGame/EVOSearchForEden'', since the player can evolve the main character into whatever form they want, though [[RuleOfFun the process is simplified to give the player rather than the environment control over the character’s form]]. Any further inaccuracies are explained in-game as being the result of [[PowerCrystal crystals]] intelligently designed (by [[spoiler:aliens]]) to shift evolution onto the fast track toward intelligence, if necessary producing a completely new body than what would have been produced by natural selection. Even then, most aren’t humanoid. The Japan-only prototype, however, has this as its central mechanic—because evolution is simplified to merely a ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''-esque point system, the player character gets more and more humanlike as time goes on, eventually becoming an [[OurAncestorsAreSuperheroes idealized]] version of ''Homo sapiens'' (or ''dino sapiens'' depending on what route you take.) Both games are based just as much on mysticism as on science.

* WebComic/NerfNow has a series, "Nature's Balance" that has an interesting take on this: animals are viewed as players in a MMORPG, choosing to go for various "builds", and debating the value of their builds. [[https://www.nerfnow.com/comic/1897 For example]].

* ''Anime/NeonGenesisEvangelion'' has SEELE believe that human evolution has reached the "pinnacle" of evolution, which is their justification for the Human Instrumentality Project: [[spoiler:forcefully turning humankind into a single unified consciousness.]]

* ''Manga/{{Akira}}'': The plot in a nutshell is pretty much ''mocking'' the idea - the government project is attempting to "accelerate evolution" I.E. produce humans with PsychicPowers. [[GoneHorriblyRight They have succeeded at this]], but failed in giving those humans the RequiredSecondaryPowers to keep them from [[SuperPowerMeltdown ravaging their bodies]] or [[WithGreatPowerComesGreatInsanity driving them insane]]. Natural evolution ''doesn't'' do dumb shit like that; that's why we don't have bats with super-hearing but without brains that can decipher sonar, or eagles with super-vision but no flash-dampening to prevent the light from ruining their eyes. As Kei puts it, it's as if they were trying to make amoebas with human strength, stamina and dexterity...

** Played with in the fiction portion of ''Discworld/TheScienceOfDiscworld'', in which the native life forms of Roundworld keep evolving civilizations which the wizards hail as the pinnacle of creation, only to be wiped out to a crab/lizard/bear/whatever by comet impacts and other catastrophes. So even if intelligence ''were'' something evolution was actively working towards, extinction couldn't care less. The wizards' belief that life should be striving towards intelligence and civilization is highlighted for contrast in the non-story parts of the book, to explain that evolution doesn't work that way, but simply keeps doing what works as long as it makes the next generation, unless something better happens to appear, and doesn't outpace its food, or fall to some local or global disaster.
** In ''Discworld/TheLastContinent'', plants on Mono Island have the ability to instantly make themselves evolve into new forms with a definite goal. This goal is ''not'' to be intelligent, but to be useful enough to the visiting wizards that they'll take the plants along when they leave.

* ''[[AvertedTrope Not]]'' the case in ''VideoGame/EVOSearchForEden'', since the player can evolve the main character into whatever form they want, though [[RuleOfFun the process is simplified to give the player rather than the environment control over the character’s form]]. Any further inaccuracies are explained in-game as being the result of [[PowerCrystal crystals]] intelligently designed (by [[spoiler:aliens]]) to shift evolution onto the fast track toward intelligence, if necessary producing a completely new body than what would have been produced by natural selection. Even then, most aren’t humanoid. The Japan-only prototype, however, has this as its central mechanic—because evolution is simplified to merely a ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons''-esque point system, the player character gets more and more humanlike as time goes on, eventually becoming an [[OurAncestorsAreSuperheroes idealized]] version of ''Homo sapiens''. Both games are based just as much on mysticism as on science.

In actual evolutionary theory, this isn't really true. Populations gradually do become adapted to their environment, but there is no goal or plan involved. It is simply that organisms which happen to be well suited for their circumstances have more offspring -- which will also have those traits. Eventually those traits become the norm. Since the effects of different features on survival depend on the circumstances, different populations are each evolving to fit their particular circumstances, not towards some common goal. As circumstances change, so to does the population. Things like greater complexity and intelligence may seem like progress to us, but to natural selection, they are just one way of surviving, and it could reduce both if it happened to help survival. More particular features like the humanoid shape may be nothing but the result of historical accident, unlikely to show up if things had gone a little differently. Also, those organisms which have changed more than other lineages are properly called more ''derived'', not more evolved. In fact, even before publishing his theory of evolution by natural selection, Darwin himself criticized this trope, writing in his notebooks that "It is absurd to talk of one animal being higher than another...". This might serve to emphasise how deluded the individuals who aspire to this really are, by thinking that nature cares about development. On the other hand, some might just be open-minded enough to realise that progress is a human concept, but still set out to cause it on their own.

** ''[[EvilutionaryBiologist High Evolutionary]]'', a man who has made a career of accelerating the evolution of various species — which, naturally, all happen to be anthropomorphic afterwards.

*** This is trumped by him fighting Hulk [[ItMakesSenseInContext so Hulk would kill him]], when he changed the "evolutionary levels" of the ''Earth'', converting the ground beneath Hulk into tar (like tarpits, you know, because tarpits are like stone age, man?), then lava, then ''gas''.

** Played with in the fiction portion of ''Discworld/TheScienceOfDiscworld'', in which the native life forms of Roundworld keep evolving civilizations which the wizards hail as the pinnacle of creation, only to be wiped out to a crab/lizard/bear/whatever by cometary impacts and other catastrophes. So even if intelligence ''were'' something evolution was actively working towards, extinction couldn't care less. The wizards' belief that life should be striving towards intelligence and civilisation is highlighted for contrast in the non-story parts of the book, to explain that evolution doesn't work that way, but simply keeps doing what works as long as it makes the next generation, unless something better happens to appear, and doesn't outpace its food, or fall to some local or global disaster.

* ''Literature/TheTimeMachine'', by Creator/HGWells: Averted where the future evolutions of mankind are an innocent race, apparently less intelligent than modern humans (the Eloi) and TheMorlocks. This was influenced by Wells' early socialist ideas. The Eloi and the Morlocks represent the cultured, wealthy bourgeois people of leisure and the lower-class proletarian manual labourers respectively. Taken to extremes over thousands of years, the Eloi are witless sheep with no spark of creativity or ambition (or even the ability to defend themselves), and the Morlocks are mechanically-apt but brutal cannibalistic savages. A little bit [[StrawCharacter Strawman Political]], to be sure.
* Averted and discussed in ''Literature/TimeRiders: Day Of the Predator'' - History has been changed so that dinosaurs never went extinct, but dinosaurs still resemble what they looked like 65 million years ago. The characters hypothesize that without any predators and by extension, any reason to adapt, evolution for the dinosaurs has 'dead-ended'.

* This is half the gameplay of ''Videogame/{{Spore}}''. Your species starts of as an unicellular organism wich given enough time (And by consuming similar creatures or plants depending on their digestive system) grows enough to get out of water, build a primitive civilization, conquer the world it inhabits and finally get to the rocket age and explore the universe (Wich leads to the other half of the gameplay: Space travel).

*** In the episode "Pen Pals", Riker actually invokes the concept of a "cosmic plan" as supporting the Prime Directive in justifying a decision to not save a pre-warp alien civilization about to be destroyed by a massive natural disaster. The apparent logic being that some species are "meant" to become advanced, space-faring civilizations, while others are likewise fated to become extinct, and that it is "hubris" to interfere in this process. Pulaski and [=LaForge=] argue vehemently against this position.

* A minority of evolutionary biologists believe something like this, positing natural laws which tend to cause greater complexity and sophistication in various organisms. On a related note some also say this about life emerging from non-life. See [[https://www.chronicle.com/article/Where-Thomas-Nagel-Went-Wrong/139129 here]] for discussion. This still has nothing to do with the pre-Darwinian teleological theories of evolution, however.

* ''Literature/TheTimeMachine'', by Creator/HGWells: Averted where the future evolutions of mankind are an innocent race, apparently less intelligent than modern humans (the Eloi) and TheMorlocks. This was influenced by Wells' early socialist ideas. The Eloi and the Morlocks represent the cultured, wealthy bourgeois people of leisure and the lower-class proletarian manual labourers respectively. Taken to extremes over thousands of years, the Eloi are witless sheep with no spark of creativity or ambition (or even the ability to defend themselves), and the Morlocks are mechanically-apt but brutal cannibalistic savages. A little bit [[StrawCharacter Strawman Political]], to be sure.
* In ''Literature/TheWarOfTheWorlds'' the narrator believes the Martians represent a "more highly evolved" form of intelligent life, reduced to a brain and hands, without "animal" functions like a digestive system. (They feed by sucking other animals' - including humans' - blood directly into their own bloodstream.)
* ''Literature/{{Slan}}'' by Creator/AEVanVogt: The titular Slan are mutants that are faster and stronger than ordinary humans, and have enhanced healing ability and psychic powers.

* Literature/TheSpaceOdysseySeries: The series discusses the "evolution" of the {{Sufficiently Advanced Alien}}s who brought TheMonolith to Earth. Read literally, it's an example of this trope, but is actually a case of a species [[TheSingularity reaching a point technologically]] where they can perform BrainUploading into machine bodies and then finally turn themselves into EnergyBeings — self-directed evolution rather than natural.
* Creator/PhilipKDick:
** ''Literature/TheThreeStigmataOfPalmerEldritch'', set TwentyMinutesIntoTheFuture, features "evolutionary therapy" becoming popular among the rich. It makes your [[MyBrainIsBig cranium large and bubble-like]], and increases your intelligence, although in rare cases it can backfire and ''de''-evolve you into a monkey-like state. The best part? It works by stimulating the ''gland that controls evolution''. However, evolution is at least somewhat affected by environment. The evolved people also develop hard ridges on their heads to combat the intense heat of the Earth (which will kill any normal person who isn't literally carrying an air conditioner on his back). Later on, one character runs across people from the future, who look more like TheGreys because the Earth is undergoing an Ice Age.
** In "Strange Eden", a man falls in love with godlike alien woman who warns him to stay away, as merely being in her presence too long will shoot him to the highest levels of human evolution. He is not dissuaded by this, sticks around and becomes the very highly evolved [[spoiler:large cat]].
* One of Creator/KurtVonnegut's short stories tells of astronauts that start to evolve into huge-headed telepathic freaks after being exposed to otherworldly radiation. They're saved from this predicament by their test animals, who have been exposed longer and evolved past them and into energy beings. This trope was nicely averted in his book ''Literature/{{Galapagos}}''. The evolved humans resemble seals, and natural selection lowers their intelligence to that of animals. It's a bit misanthropic, though.
* ''Literature/TheWarAgainstTheChtorr'': It's stated that since Chtorran lifeforms have a billion-year evolutionary head start they have a massive advantage over Earth lifeforms.
* Parodied in ''Literature/TomorrowTown'' by Creator/KimNewman: one of the claims made by the futurists who have set up shop in Tomorrow Town is that they have evolved beyond their 1970s contemporaries, or '[[FantasticRacism yesterday men]]' as they are called. Like most things to do with their "futopia", they're quite, quite mistaken.

* Averted in Creator/DavidBrin's ''Literature/{{Uplift}}'' verse. Most clans believe that a species can't even develop sentience without genetic engineering (the exceptions being the mythical {{Precursors}} and maybe humanity).

* In Andrew M Greely's ''Angel Fire'' the protagonist has won the Nobel Prize for discovering goal-oriented evolution in fruit flies.

* In ''Anime/TengenToppaGurrenLagann'' the Spiral Energy is tied into evolution - and its effect is defying physics in favor of RuleOfCool. It falls squarely in this trope when humanoid shape is described to be best at harnessing it (such as with {{Humongous Mecha}}s) and at one point the TeamPet "evolves" on-the-spot into [[PettingZooPeople a humanoid]] to confront the BigBad.

* The first season finale of ''Manga/ShinryakuIkaMusume'' has Squid Girl being BroughtDownToNormal because her body adapted to living on the surface. Somehow not "needing" her power made them atrophy, even though she still ''used'' them all the time, [[spoiler:and they come back when needs them (because she thought she was attacked by an orca in the manga and to save Eiko from drowning in the anime).]]

[[quoteright:350[[ParodyOfEvolution https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/evolution_super_6518.jpg]]]]

[[quoteright:350:[[ParodyOfEvolution https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/evolution_super_6518.jpg]]]]

** ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': The episode "The Omega Glory" also used the 'path evolution is supposed to take' idea in order to show a planet who ''evolved the American flag and Constitution in parallel to Earth''.

** ''Series/StarTrekTheOriginalSeries'': The episode "The Omega Glory" also used the 'path evolution is supposed to take' idea in order to show a planet who ''evolved the American flag and Constitution in parallel to Earth''. Spock explains:
--->"The actual theory is that all lifeforms evolved [[EvolutionaryLevels from the lower levels to the more advanced stages]]."

* ''Literature/TheTimeMachine'', by Creator/HGWells: Averted where the future evolutions of mankind are an innocent race, apparently less intelligent than modern humans (the Eloi) and TheMorlocks. This was influenced by Wells' early socialist ideas. The Eloi and the Morlocks represent the cultured, wealthy bourgeoisie people of leisure and the lower-class proletariat manual labourers respectively. Taken to extremes over thousands of years, the Eloi are witless sheep with no spark of creativity or ambition (or even the ability to defend themselves), and the Morlocks are mechanically-apt but brutal cannibalistic savages. A little bit [[StrawCharacter Strawman Political]], to be sure.

* ''Literature/TheSpaceOdysseySeries'': The series discusses the "evolution" of the {{Sufficiently Advanced Alien}}s who brought TheMonolith to Earth. Read literally, it's an example of this trope, but is actually a case of a species [[TheSingularity reaching a point technologically]] where they can perform BrainUploading into machine bodies and then finally turn themselves into EnergyBeings — self-directed evolution rather than natural.

** The Doctor has claimed that the Time Lords, being one of the oldest civilizations in the universe, seeded life across the universe and did ''something'' that caused it to have a propensity to develop into superficially Time Lord-oid forms, explaining the large number of HumanAliens in the Whoniverse. ''Series/{{Torchwood}}'' eventually had an object that penetrated nearly all the way through the Earth known as "The Blessing" which was somehow connected to the essence of what it is to be human. Ancient Time Lord technology intended to shape life forms into the Time Lord form?

* In ''VideoGame/EVOSearchForEden'', this is both the object of the game and one of its central mechanics. Though, to be fair, life on EVO's planet was specifically created to evolve this way, as to sire a proper mate for Gaia, who is humanoid.

* A minority of evolutionary biologists believe something like this, positing natural laws which tend to cause greater complexity and sophistication in various organisms. On a related note some also say this about life emerging from non-life. See [[https://www.chronicle.com/article/Where-Thomas-Nagel-Went-Wrong/139129 here]] for discussion.