Society & Culture

Eugenics ... yes or no?

Does the Eugenics movement have a place in today's society ,or is it just an outdated form of racism?

claymore Thurs 04/09/08 07:15

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jake-the-peg
Thurs 04/09/08
08:37

Ugh!

Nasty question - 1920's and 1930's Eugenics is a dscredited pile of twaddle because the "science" was rubbish.

However now we understand genetics better, we can look at the probability of getting genrtic diseases and all these old questions are coming back again.

The idea of trying to perfect and improve the human race from selective breeding has little place because it relies on some generally agreed perception of what features are better than others and trying to breed some characteristics over others doesn't end well

Look at pedigree dogs!

But the question does arise about attempting to elliminate hereditary diseases.

From a governmental or personal perspective.

Should you allow people wioth greater than say 80% chance of having children with crippling diseases to have children?

If you were engaged to a girl who had a serious risk of having disabled children would you still get married? have children?

These are not easy questions and they don't have easy answers

claymore
Thurs 04/09/08
10:43

Question Author

Jake, I guess in the end it will come down to a question of over population and resources. To a degree selectivity is already being practiced. Doctor tells pregnant woman her baby will be born with down;s syndrome or cerebral palsy, she terminates pregnancy saving much heartache, money and dwindling resources. Cold way of looking at it I know,but eminently practical .

jake-the-peg
Thurs 04/09/08
11:43

No I dopn't think over population will have much to do with it.

Western countries are not overpopulated and have plenty of food and resources. Developing countries where overpopulation is a problem (like Bangladesh) don't have a lot of money to spend on widespread screening.

It's most likely to come down to attitudes to DNA testing and Law in developing countries.

For example a law permitting insurance companies to insist on DNA screening before taking up a policy or employers to request one before hiring someone might set the ball rolling.

If you've never seen Gattica get it out sometime

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