Definition: Eugenics is a philosophy first initiated by Sir Francis Galton in 1865, and which referring to the work of his relative, Charles Darwin, advocates "survival of the fittest" and the improvement of human hereditary traits through various forms of intervention.
The goals have generally been to create healthier, more intelligent people, save society's resources, and lessen human suffering, but some proposed means of achieving these goals have focused on eliminating "undesirable" traits within dominant populations; the resulting discrimination and human rights violations, have included forced sterilization, castration, and at times, genocide of individuals perceived as inferior.
Non-race-related topics of interest to eugenecists include selective breeding (suggested as far back as Plato), prenatal testing and screening, genetic counseling, birth control, in vitro fertilization, and genetic engineering.
Opponents argue that eugenics is immoral and that it is a pseudoscience. Nonetheless, eugenics remains a controversial topic today.
The goals have generally been to create healthier, more intelligent people, save society's resources, and lessen human suffering, but some proposed means of achieving these goals have focused on eliminating "undesirable" traits within dominant populations; the resulting discrimination and human rights violations, have included forced sterilization, castration, and at times, genocide of individuals perceived as inferior.
Non-race-related topics of interest to eugenecists include selective breeding (suggested as far back as Plato), prenatal testing and screening, genetic counseling, birth control, in vitro fertilization, and genetic engineering.
Opponents argue that eugenics is immoral and that it is a pseudoscience. Nonetheless, eugenics remains a controversial topic today.
Pronunciation: Sounds like: yoo-jen-iks
Examples: Francis Galton believed:
- "The upper classes should be encouraged to have more children, whereas the lower classes should be induced, if possible, or compelled if necessary to have fewer."
- "The average intellectual standard of the Negro is some two grades below our own [whites]."
- "Jews were specialized for parasitical existence upon other nations."
- "Churches and civic groups who engaaged in charity for the poor were counterproductive to good breeding."