Lecture 34: Eugenics Flashcards
1
Q
What is eugenics?
A
- A movement aimed to improve the human species by controlling breeding
- Positive = encourage “good” gened people to have more children
- Negative = discourage “bad” gened people to have children (highlighed)
2
Q
In 1910s + 1920s, many traits were considered to be inherited as recessive Mendelian traits such as….
________ wasn’t taken into account though.
A
- Pauperism
- Alcoholism
- Delinquency
- Feeblemindedness
- Environment
3
Q
The eugenicists’ idea was to…
A
- Prevent the feebleminded (nn) from breeding
- Artificial selection against n
- Reduction in frequency of n
- Less feeblemindedness, delinquency, pauperism, etc.
4
Q
Who is Ronald A. Fisher?
A
- Brilliant statistician
- Ardent egenicist
5
Q
Eugenists in the USA:
A
- Sterilization Laws
- Supreme Court upheld laws
6
Q
Eugenics in Britain:
A
- Sterilization legislation opposed by Catholic Church & labour unions
- Eugenics opposed by Catholic Church & labour unions
7
Q
Eugenics in Germany:
A
- Nazi policy
- Millions killed (not all for eugenic reasons)
8
Q
Eugenics after WWII:
A
- Eugenics didn’t die immediately
- 1200 sterilized in Sweden
- Emphasis on genetic counselling
9
Q
Why did Eugenics fail?
A
- Today we value individual right’s significantly more
- Privacy
- Reproductivity autonomy
- Disabled rights
- Eugenics didn’t give people a choice
- And the state was involved in reproductive decisions
10
Q
Summary:
A
- It was widely accepted in the 1920s and 1930s
- Textbooks often erroneously imply that eugenicists did not understand genetics
- Eugenics failed for a number of reasons:
Improved understanding of genetics
Changes in society’s views - Understanding our concerns illuminates current debates in medical genetics
Compulsion vs. free-choice - Debates are rancorous + outgoing because they’re about ethics not science
