Cassie Thomsen

Professor Winters

30 November 2017

Biology 1010-404

Eugenics

Eugenics is, The study or belief in the possibility of improving the qualities of the

human species or a human population, especially by such means as discouraging reproduction by

encouraging reproduction of desirable traits and depressing reproduction of undesirable traits

(eugenics). Many cultures dont know how to use this kind of thinking or technology in a way

that it will help, or ethically. Eventually in 1883, Sir Francis Galton (Charles Darwins cousin),

used the term Eugenics meaning well-born, as stated in Laura Rivards Genetic Generation.

He wanted to improve human race through this process. Sir Francis Galton founded the science

of todays eugenics. The Eugenics Records Office, or the ERO, looked at undesirables, or

people with unwanted traits to start out with this science. It was used a lot with the British, and

brought back to the U.S. which completely crushed the credibility of the subject when Hitler used

it to justify himself (Rivard). Today it is used to look at and eventually possibly cure or rid of

heritable disease (like Tay-Sachs, Down syndrome, hemophilia, or cystic fibrosis).

Eugenics were said to be how we preserve society. As another way to make everyone

equal. This type of science was studied through looking at heredity, and was looked at mostly at

plants during the beginning. And in some cultures or cohorts, like in ancient Athens, they made

sure that only the strong survived, and the weak were left to die. So, in this case, it is important

to have good genes so that a person actually survives past infancy, and to decrease death rates,

eugenics would have been the way to go (if they had the correct technology to do it). Eventually,

in 1849 Gordon Lincecum (an Amereican biologist, the first), wanted to be able to sterilize the

mentally handicapped to prevent further spreading of the undesirable traits (Singleton). Using
eugenics, we would be able to get rid of this immoral (in our society) act, and prevent the need

for it in the first place. Not only will it prevent this, it can allow parents to prepare for a child with

a disability (especially with solely with a screening), instead of having the idea sprung upon them

after they have had their child. Or using eugenics, they can meddle with the somatic cells to alter

or treat diseases.

The beginning of eugenics were completely horrifying (murder and sterilization) to

improve the human race (Caplan). And since this type of information was taken out of the

textbooks that people read to inform them of history, it is bound to repeat itself (especially

without the information to the world. If mankind goes forth to implement eugenics to mankind,

new information may not be known, because this is trying to keep things the same, or preserve

it. To be even begin to get rid of hereditary diseases, a screening of all people would have to be

screened and tested in order to completely eradicate them (Rivard). That would be almost

impossible to get every single person screened, especially in third world countries.

I believe that we shouldnt use this type of science legitimately, though it may be good to

see what happens exactly, we already know the basis of what will happen. Things and people are

supposed to evolve and change over time. As we know this to be true, we look at the biological

mutations that allow us to naturally adapt to the Earth and our Environment. People may not

survive due to a lack of proper mutations. But if people dont die, there will be not enough space

on Earth for humans to sustain life. We will have too many people, and too little land to hold us.

If we force these adaptations, our bodies will naturally stop doing it on its own, because we have

found an outside source to do it for us, just like anything that evolves due to lack of usage or

need. And though we feel the need to fix things from the beginning, other problems will arise

eventually, and people will continue to live longer, making it harder to sustain the amount of

people that we have here on earth. Though, it may do great things for people, its our own way for

not over populating. And if we cure all of the diseases using eugenics, new ones will arise, or the
diseases may be harder to cure or get rid of (like killing only the diseases that will, and some

survive). So no, I am not for it, and I dont believe that we could get the worlds population to

follow through with this type of science or technology, or come up with the funding to do this. It

can turn dark very fast, and only new problems will arise.
 Works Cited:

Caplan, Arthur L, et al. What Is Immoral about Eugenics? BMJ : British Medical Journal,

British Medical Journal, 13 Nov. 1999,

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1129063/.

"eugenics". Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. 8 Dec. 2017.

<Dictionary.com http://www.dictionary.com/browse/eugenics>.

Rivard, Laura. Introduction to Eugenics. Genetics Generation, 2015,

knowgenetics.org/history-of-eugenics/.

Singleton, Marilyn M. The Science of Eugenics: Americas Moral Detour. Journal of

American Physicians and Surgeons, vol. 19, 2014,

www.jpands.org/vol19no4/singleton.pdf.