Chapter 1: How and why eugenics became popular before Nazism "Science would provide an even firmer foundation for morality than religion had"-Ernst Haeckel- Uber die heutige Entwickelungslehre im verhaltnisse zur Gesamtwissenschaft Eugenics is one of the oldest practices our world has, from Pre-Galtonian philosophies famously presented by Plato, to the Nazi regime. The book "The Origin of Species" shock the world with it publication in November 1859 with the famous doctrine of evolution- though this theory had been well known long before this point. Darwin’s theory had led the way to a "radical departure from the traditional ways of grounding morality” (Weikart, (2004) P21) and therefore human nature had been called into question. In the Metaphysics of evolution
According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, eugenics is: “a science that deals with the improvement (as by control of human mating) of hereditary qualities of a race or breed”. ("Definition of Eugenics by Merriam-Webster") The most common example of this concept would be the Holocaust, which was the extermination of Jewish people and others deemed “unfit” for society in World War Ⅱ. But little do many know, the Nazi’s were not the only people practicing eugenics in the early 1900’s, eugenics was being practiced in the United States long before the Holocaust. The American Eugenics Society aimed to educate American people on the science of Eugenics.
It is impressive that this idea originated from a period of time where there was little knowledge about genes. In conclusion, the idea of eugenics develops during the progressive era and it affect many people during this period of time. This idea of eugenics was where more progress occurs in science. Well not all about the idea of eugenics is bad is has some good points like it can reduce number of babies born with some mental illness or some with really bad illness.
Eugenics was meant to improve the human race by scourging the earth of disease and imperfections. One infamous example of this was the Holocaust were the Nazis killed many Jewish people due to the fact they thought Jews were unfit for society along with people with real disabilities. Germans were creating powerful weapons and Einstein wrote a
The impact of the inauguration of scientific beliefs and studies on eugenics in the 1800’s is still evident in modern United States today. Eugenics is defined as eugenicists promoting the naturally fit people who carried desirable traits to increase a population with hopes of a community filled with intelligent citizens. Positive eugenics advocated the superior people to marry each other and reproduce to create as many offsprings in order to increase the number of the fit. Negative eugenics would discourage the disabled from reproducing at all, so that they would not compete with the superior. The endorsement from the government allowed scientists to implement their ideas on eugenics and some aspect of their policies is used today.
Accessed 20 Sept. 2017 Galton, Francis. “Eugenics; Its Definition, Scope and Aims.” The American Journal of Sociology, vol. 10, no. 1, July 1904, doi:10.1038/070082a0. Accessed 20 Sept. 2017. “Giggleswick.”
1920 U.S.A Eugenics Eugenics: (Noun/Verb): The act of attempting the perfection of genes within a pre-existing population similar to that of selective breeding within a select species of mammals. During the Roaring Twenties of the United States a process of artificial selection arose known as the process of Eugenics. Eugenics is as stated, a process of elimination of the “Lesser” individuals to preserve traits that are thought highly of. During the latter 19th Century and the early 20th Century, eugenics was considered a favored method of preserving society, therefore only showcasing the preferred traits within society.
The twentieth century American eugenics movement was a social and scientific movement that sought to enhance the genetic quality of the human population through sterilization and selective breeding. Eugenics, the scientific practice and theory of planned breeding and racial purity, was widely popularized by an English polymath, Sir Francis Galton. Galton, cousin of Charles Darwin, supported the idea of selected marriages and breeding, which then spread to countries across the globe. The social Darwinist philosophy of the early twentieth century and the newly developing science of genetics both had an impact on the eugenics movement as it rose in popularity in the United States. The movement was backed by many well known scientists, politicians,
The United States eugenics movement of the early twentieth century was a movement that tied the advancement of society to the good genes of its citizens. Francis Galton coined the term eugenics as “the science of improving stock” in 1883 (Wikler 184). Supporters of eugenics created a group of laws that forcibly prevented people with disabilities from reproducing through institutionalization, involuntary sterilization, and euthanasia (Wikler). Although the eugenics movement ended, recent debates over prenatal testing have revived the term. Prenatal testing refers to “all the technologies currently in use or under development to determine the physi(ologi)cal condition of a fetus before birth”
Eugenic The capabilities of our scientific technology has been exponential growing for the past 100 years. We are able to genetically modify bacteria to make insulin, clone sheep, and perhaps, one day even be able to genetically modify our offspring. However, the real question is should I play God and create the generation of humanity in our image? The applications of eugenic I believe need to be tended with the upmost, so humanity does not become a victim of their own mentality.
Domesticated plants and animals are an important part of human life, and without eugenics there would be none. However, the validity of eugenics being used on people has been debated from a moral perspective since its creation, but even if it was morally justified eugenics would not work the way people expect it would. According to Merriam-Webster, the full definition of eugenics is, “a science that deals with the improvement (as by control of human mating) of hereditary qualities of a race or breed,” (Merriam-Webster). What must be noted is that, along with the improvement of some hereditary qualities there is detriment to others. Despite its usefulness in developing domesticated plants and animals, eugenics is not a viable option for improving
Sir Francis Galton, the cousin of the father of evolution, Charles Darwin, introduced a concept to the world in the 1930s known as eugenics. Sir Francis Galton himself said, "Eugenics is the study of the agencies under social control that may improve or impair the racial qualities of future generations either physically or mentally," (Gallagher). Although Hitler and the Nazi party of World War II gave this term a negative connotation through sterilizations and the preserving of the “Aryan” race, eugenics has evolved with modern technology and advanced with science to become a way to change, save and enhance lives (United States Holocaust Memorial Museum). Scientists, doctors, geneticists and many other brilliant minds have contributed to transforming Galton’s concept of selective breeding into a way to allow infertile couples to have a healthy child, a method to eradicate horrific genetic diseases, and an endless realm for the future of medicine.
Eugenics can be translated as “good birth” with its foundation
Eugenics is the science of using artificial selection to improve genetic features of the population. It is thought that improvement of the human race can be seen through sterilization of people who exhibit undesirable traits and selective breeding. Often called Social Darwinism, the concept was widely accepted during the time of World War I. It quickly became a taboo after World War II when Nazi Germany used it as an excuse for genocide. The thought of improving the human race by manipulating who is allowed to breed can either be appalling or compelling.
Eugenics The term eugenics was coined in 1883 by Francis Galton. He defined it as the study of “the conditions under which men of a high type are produced” and also as “the science which deals with all influences that improve the inborn qualities of a race”. However, it is not just a field of study and, could be taken as a social movement or policy as well. “Eugenics” may refer to the theory that infers hereditable intelligence and fortune which are possessed by the wealthy, successful and intelligent were made as a result of their good selective breeding, and that the lower classes would remain so because they continued to breed with other poor people from lower social classes or casts. Eugenics could be popular amongst people with a vested
