Is physical changes in human/animal form (evolution) completely random?
Do certain useful qualities get passed on genetically because those particular people reproduce more? Sometimes it feels like its a "design" because certain physical traits seem like a purposeful improvement? like genes have a mind and will of its own.

evolution is usually a species’ way of coping with changes in the environment, I doubt they are random. the only thing that leaves me stumped is the platypus — seriously, what the heck.
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The changes themselves are random deformities and not reactions to environment. Some of these deformities (e.g., the opposable thumb) are conducive to survival and procreation, and systematically persist over many many generations.
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The changes themselves are random, small-scale mutations. But the reason that good traits are passed on is because the people with that trait are able to survive in their environment becuase, due to that trait, they are better suited for their environment. They survive and reproduce and pass on this trait to their children, who inherit this trait and also survive. It isn’t that the environment made the trait. The trait just happened to be perfectly suited for the environment and so it spread.
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Who knows? Most of today’s theories are tomorrow’s one-liners.
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Random and order are the two sides of the same coin. There is random selection from the order of genetic material.
It is old yen yang thing.

When you play a slot machine you can only get the combinations of symbols from the symbols that are on the machine. But slot machines do not
reproduce so there is no symbolic mutation.

I think humans are not evolving as well as we are capable because humans have separated from the natural state of the "survival of fittest." Any two morons can procreate and be supported by the taxpayers. That did not happen very much before the industrial revolution. It is common now so the gene pool is being dumbed down.

Have you noticed the growing demand for special education teachers?
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Genetics account for what termed human decency. It has been said humans have a problem adapting for reason if someone not around to show how to do a task they are helpless dependant on technology. Right now humans are stuck on supremacist attituides which require breaking out of fast to stop global warming. Well known political ideas Supremacist notions that for humans to make use of oil, gas, gold,Platinum, get by wars is correct state for humans to be in for reason of inherent superiority. Genes do have mind of their own as do people and many are working on ideas to break people of habit. Thing is most in world either seen as game pieces in wars or as obstacles to human desire to wrest profit from guts of Earth. People have other ideas than using United Nations global citizen Force to end global warming human supremacist attacks on human rights. Back to previous subject cloning said to be viable also genes like recessive ones give some people blue eyes, red hair, height though not always. A child of someone considered smart may not be as smart. Say a physicist for example . Child might turn out ordinary. Appearance of people is nothing to go by either. Madness is not genetic nor disease . Disease spreads by it’s own methods . Mad people are not necessarily inferior to other people.
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Human Supremacist notions, BOOK ON DISEASE