I agree with you.

People that are otherwise intelligent always seem to inject pre-conceived notions into the idea of evolution. As if evolution is a "path" instead of mostly unrelated tweaks/optimizations. I suppose it's not as easily digestible to frame it in that context. The following just isn't as sexy:

- "At some point in history, immediately capable offspring stopped being an evolutionary advantage for humans."

- "Women who produced smaller babies less likely to die in childbirth, augmenting their ability to procreate."

- "Infants able to survive at a smaller birth-size more likely to pass on their genes."