Goal-Oriented Evolution: Difference between revisions

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== Live-Action TV ==

* [[Star Trek]]

** ''[[Star Trek: The ~~Original Series|Star Trek the~~ Original Series]]'': 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''.

** ''[[Star Trek: The Original Series]]'': 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:

{{quote|"The actual theory is that all lifeforms evolved [[Evolutionary Levels|from the lower levels to the more advanced stages]]."}}

** ''[[Star Trek: The ~~Next Generation|Star Trek the~~ Next Generation]]'': A humanoid named "John Doe" encountered by the crew was part of a minority of his species that were "evolving" (actually, undergoing metamorphosis, but they called it "evolution") into [[Energy Beings]].

** ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation]]'': A humanoid named "John Doe" encountered by the crew was part of a minority of his species that were "evolving" (actually, undergoing metamorphosis, but they called it "evolution") into [[Energy Beings]].

** A later ''[[Star Trek: The Next Generation|Next Generation]]'' episode, ''The Chase'', reveals that all life in the Alpha Quadrant had descended from microbes seeded by a race of precursors billions of years ago. Somehow, because the microbes came from the precursors' homeworld, they were able to develop into multiple humanoid species on hundreds of different planets. At the same time. Who can interbreed with each other. It makes more sense than any other explanation no matter how much [[Fridge Logic]] is applied.

** ''[[Star Trek: ~~Voyager|Star Trek~~ Voyager]]'': The [[Canon Discontinuity|infamous]] episode "Threshold" [[Playing with a Trope|plays with]] this trope. Tom Paris undergoes "accelerated evolution" after travelling at trans-[[Faster-Than-Light Travel|warp]] speeds, and eventually reaches humanity's evolutionary goal—he turns into a giant newt. (He got better). The episode's writers later revealed that their idea was to show that the final "goal" of human evolution could turn out to be something seemingly primitive, rather than the "advanced", hyper-intelligent forms of life that this trope usually results in.

** ''[[Star Trek: Voyager]]'': The [[Canon Discontinuity|infamous]] episode "Threshold" [[Playing with a Trope|plays with]] this trope. Tom Paris undergoes "accelerated evolution" after travelling at trans-[[Faster-Than-Light Travel|warp]] speeds, and eventually reaches humanity's evolutionary goal—he turns into a giant newt. (He got better). The episode's writers later revealed that their idea was to show that the final "goal" of human evolution could turn out to be something seemingly primitive, rather than the "advanced", hyper-intelligent forms of life that this trope usually results in.

** ''[[Star Trek: ~~Enterprise|Star Trek~~ Enterprise]]'': The episode "Dear Doctor" showcased the "path evolution is supposed to take" misconception. This was Captain Archer's justification for refusing to ''cure a plague'' he had a cure for (he believed the civilization suffering from it was "supposed" to die out to make way for another species) leading some like [[SF Debris]] to accuse him of genocide.

** ''[[Star Trek: Enterprise]]'': The episode "Dear Doctor" showcased the "path evolution is supposed to take" misconception. This was Captain Archer's justification for refusing to ''cure a plague'' he had a cure for (he believed the civilization suffering from it was "supposed" to die out to make way for another species) leading some like [[SF Debris]] to accuse him of genocide.

* ''[[Doctor Who]]'':

** In [[Doctor Who/Recap/S1/E02 The Daleks|the first Dalek story]], the Thals had mutated into something hideous, then back again into good-looking space elves in leather trousers because that was, supposedly, the most perfect form.

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* ''[[Star Ocean: The Last Hope]]'': The [[Big Bad]] seems to think that it's possible to create a "better" evolution that will save humanity from violence and sadness. Even worse, the heroes believe that it's necessary to "make our hearts worthy" in order to evolve.

* ''[[Fire Emblem]]'': It's theorized the Zunanma were subconsciously evolving to be more like their "gods". The gods thought this was bad but the only solutions they could think of were abandonment or annihilation and Zunanma didn't like either.

* ''[[Wild ~~Arms~~ 3]]'': The Prophets describe five stages of evolution; they hope to evolve the world into its final stage. Even the characters who call out this notion as BS believe the dragons lived at their "evolutionary apex" before dying out. {{spoiler|The former statement is justified oddly in that the Prophets were under the coercion of the ego-maniacal Demons.}}

* ''[[Wild ARMs 3]]'': The Prophets describe five stages of evolution; they hope to evolve the world into its final stage. Even the characters who call out this notion as BS believe the dragons lived at their "evolutionary apex" before dying out. {{spoiler|The former statement is justified oddly in that the Prophets were under the coercion of the ego-maniacal Demons.}}

* ''[[Marathon Trilogy|Marathon]]'': [[Word of God]] has said that this is the inspiration for [[AI Is a Crapshoot|Rampancy]] in [[The Verse]]. The concept that all life, and all evolution, strives upward towards [[Deus Est Machina|Godhood]].

* ''[[Marathon Trilogy|Marathon]]'': [[Word of God]] has said that this is the inspiration for [[A.I. Is a Crapshoot|Rampancy]] in [[The Verse]]. The concept that all life, and all evolution, strives upward towards [[Deus Est Machina|Godhood]].