Eugenics Essay

Submitted By ijones4217
Words: 2183
Pages: 9
Open Document
Ian Jones
1/26/13

Eugenics
Eugenics is defined in Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary as “a science that deals with the improvement (as by control of human mating) of hereditary qualities in a race or breed.” What was interesting about this definition is that this concept is so involved and yet can be defined in one simple sentence. The human reaction to the science of eugenics to most people is instantly a negative feeling. Most people only have a vague notion of what the practice truly is. The word eugenics has acquired an evil reputation based on its perceived history. There are always exceptions, but for the general population it is not accepted. DJ Galton stated “if your aim is to use scientific methods to make the best of the inherited component for the health and well-being of the children of the next generation, it is by definition eugenics” (133-136). Maybe there is a positive side getting lost in this concept. If this belief in the possibility of being able to improve the quality of humans was only used as that, to improve only proven faulty negative features, people may see a different side to eugenics. If scientifically proven qualities could be controlled to eradicate horrible diseases, or genes that have been shown without doubt to cause mental illnesses could be altered to help individuals afflicted how could there not be a positive side to eugenics. There are two different ideas in the concept of eugenics. Negative eugenics is discouraging reproduction of people having genetic defects or undesirable traits. The opposite is positive eugenics which is encouraging reproduction of people having advantageous traits. When the concept of eugenics first arose science did not have anywhere near the advancements that are available in the present day. The only way to stop the breeding of said defined “undesirable” traits would presumably be to have individuals afflicted with these traits not to breed. With the advancements of today’s scientific achievements it would be possible to take the offspring of these individuals and alter the specific genes on their DNA that are afflicted. This right here is where the moral and ethical dilemma comes in to play. Who is the judge of these undesirable traits and how is the line drawn to control that this practice does not fall into the wrong hands. Is even the thought of this practice crossing over the line into forbidden knowledge? The history of eugenics dates all the way back to Plato in 378 BC. Plato believed in “a society where efforts would be made to improve the human population by selective breeding” (Encyclopædia Britannica). He believed that marriage should be controlled and arrange by government and state. This was one of the earliest known attempts at mathematically studying inherited genes. The one thing that is important is to understand the culture in which the common conceived idea of eugenics came from. Social Darwinism became popular and was used in history to explain social inequalities. It used the concept of natural selection, more fittingly described as “natural elimination” (Shattuck 302) from Charles Darwin and applied it to society. It explained how survival depended on the more fit individuals. In this theory the most fit and wealthy were more like to reproduce more offspring that would survive over the weak and poor. In the late 1800’s this social elimination process was not occurring. The wealthy fit and elite birthrate was steadily declining while the birthrate of the poor and perceived unfit was increasing. Government programs and aid were doing little to help this. The government started using science to manage this perceive problem and called it progressivism. These progressivisms relied on science to manage nature and societal views. With the science of genetics on the rise this method of reform became known as-Eugenics. Sir Francis Galton is known as the father of eugenics. He is the cousin of Charles Darwin.
Show More

Related Documents: Eugenics Essay

Francis Galton's Eugenics

Francis Galton a very extraordinary and intelligent man who is considered the founder of the science “Eugenics”. A few of Galton’s investigation topics were fingerprints, fashions, the geographical distribution of beauty, printer, a device for picking locks, and a periscope. He received a higher education in medicine and mathematics, then spent considerable time travelling (Kennerley, 2017). Galton was Darwin’s cousin; therefore, he was influenced by Darwin’s work and books. Charles Darwin work was…

Words 461 - Pages 2

Francis Galton Eugenics

term eugenics meaning “well - born”. He showed how eugenics is a dangerous social issue by first using the term eugenics, through studies and research, and defining what eugenics is. To know whether something is a dangerous social issue, first thing it to know what it is. Francis Galton was the first to use the term eugenics and really defined eugenics as well. He first said that the term eugenics was “well born”. Then he later did more studies and got a better understanding. Eugenics is when…

Words 206 - Pages 1

Intersectionality In Eugenics

Eugenics are defined as practices defined to improve human heredity (Larkin, Lecture, 2016). However, many eugenic practices were known to be racist, classist and ableist, particularly in Canada (Strange & Stephen, 2010). Eugenic practices consist of two forms; positive and negative. Positive eugenics encourage certain groups to reproduce whilst negative eugenics prevent or discourage other groups from reproducing (Larkin, Lecture, 2016). A Canadian example of eugenics existed within…

Words 499 - Pages 2

Pros And Cons Of Eugenics

Eugenics has been used by Social Darwinists, progressives, human genetic engineers, the Nazis, and many other groups. Eugenics popularity has gone through cycles of approval and turmoil to be a conceptually fluid idea. Today the definition is a bit hazy, due to both sides debating on the "true" meaning. Is it the unethical practice that Nazis used or the a promise to a better future of humanity? It is important to investigate the presence of eugenics throughout history and to examine the context…

Words 94 - Pages 1

Eugenics Argumentative Essay

It is not difficult to understand the thinking behind eugenics. Everyone is different, in many different ways. It is believed that the human race could help direct its future by selectively breeding individuals. According to Webster’s Dictionary, the “science” that deals with the improvement of races and breeds, especially the human race, through the control of hereditary factors, is known as eugenics. It is a movement that is aimed at improving the genetic composition of the human race by wiping…

Words 1158 - Pages 5

Eugenics: Nazi Creation

Eugenics contrary to popular opinion was not a Nazi creation. The principle that the white race was superior was widely accepted in America and Europe during the 19th and early 20th century. After Darwin published his theory on evolution, writers in America and Europe developed a new science called eugenics. Francis Galton originally developed eugenics, as a modern concept. He was Charles Darwin’s half-cousin. Eugenics is not so much a science as it is a social arrogance. It is scientific racism…

Words 589 - Pages 3

The Eugenics Movement Essay

The eugenics movement has been a violation to the North Carolina citizen’s human rights. The eugenics movement has violated the people’s right to be informed and the right to reproduce. The eugenics movement is morally wrong itself. It should be prohibited in modern American society. The eugenics movement violated many of the citizens of North Carolina’s right to be informed. Patients who were hospitalized were never told they were going to go under an experiment, the experiment known as the eugenics…

Words 492 - Pages 2

Ethical Issues Of Eugenics

Although eugenics in unethical in practice, its complex history started with good intentions. The term “eugenics” was first coined by scientist Francis Galton in the late 1800s (Tredoux). Galton’s first advancement into eugenics began with the analysis of the characteristics, such as general intelligence, of England’s upper social classes and concluded that they were hereditary, thus desirable traits could be passed down through generations, proving that eugenics is “simple” and began with innocent…

Words 1186 - Pages 5

Eugenics Movement Essay

Proposal Eugenics Not many know that eugenics was prevalent in America during the 1900's or know how and why it was done. In the early 1900's America sought out to create a healthier and genetically fitter society; by forcibly sterilizing "unfit" citizens, even without consent. Not known by the public this idea was then adopted by the late Hitler himself for the purpose of creating a "perfect" race. Since the start of the eugenics movement it has had many backlashes and is not outlawed in the United…

Words 3556 - Pages 15

Argumentative Essay On Eugenics

Eugenics is a dim “offshoot” of the “science of genetics”, that started in the first “20th century movement” that hunted to avert communal “ills” by looking at those who instigated them did not ever lived. Furthermore, the most abundant gathering of “eugenics- related” pictures can be established in a “scrapbook” collected by the associates of the “American Eugenics Society”, that are now in the hands of the “American Philosophical Society in Philadelphia”. There might not be a lot of photographic…

Words 420 - Pages 2