Hall of Infinite Doors
Eugenics: A Noble Idea Demonized by Man
When people hear the word eugenics, the first thing that generally pops into their mind is Hitler or the Nazi Party in general. Hitler is also commonly held to be synonymous with evil ever since the discovery of the Holocaust, so then eugenics is considered evil as well through the transitive property. This association is hardly fair. Another example of such an association is the swastika. This was originally a sacred symbol in both Buddhism and Hinduism. Now, it has been vilified because it was chosen by a group that committed horrible atrocities. Simply because corrupt people choose to use a concept or an idea immorally does not make the concept immoral itself. A couple of examples are dynamite and the splitting of the atom. Both were originally done with peaceful intentions, giving man the ability to achieve more and improve society but both were eventually used to inflict devastation and harm. This logic could also be extended to germ theory, since it enabled the creation of a vast array of biological weapons, one could classify it as evil but this same theory has lead to tremendous advancements in medicine. Ultimately no scientific discovery or concept is evil in itself, only in how it is applied. Eugenics, if used properly, could, from a Utilitarian perspective, benefit society and improve it as a whole without violating human rights.
Eugenics can be broke down into two classes, positive and negative eugenics. The latter category cannot be considered morally permissible because it goes against an individual's free will. It involves lowering the birth rate of a group of individuals who are considered to have undesirable genetic material. Negative method eugenics can include sterilization, forced breeding or abortions or even genocide. These methods were implemented by the Nazi's and are in part responsible for the negative sentiment towards genetic improvement as a whole. Positive eugenics, on the other hand, does not impact anyone's free will. They include encouragement of people with desirable genetics to mate. This is an outdated and ineffective method because phenotype does not necessarily imply genotype. With technological advancements and breakthroughs in genetics, there are now many more viable options. Genetic engineering and in vitro fertilization open the window to a vast array of benefits as a whole. These forms of positive eugenics do not infringe on the parents reproductive rights as they are optional, but could tremendously benefit their offspring and ultimately society as a whole.
When people hear the word eugenics, the first thing that generally pops into their mind is Hitler or the Nazi Party in general. Hitler is also commonly held to be synonymous with evil ever since the discovery of the Holocaust, so then eugenics is considered evil as well through the transitive property. This association is hardly fair. Another example of such an association is the swastika. This was originally a sacred symbol in both Buddhism and Hinduism. Now, it has been vilified because it was chosen by a group that committed horrible atrocities. Simply because corrupt people choose to use a concept or an idea immorally does not make the concept immoral itself. A couple of examples are dynamite and the splitting of the atom. Both were originally done with peaceful intentions, giving man the ability to achieve more and improve society but both were eventually used to inflict devastation and harm. This logic could also be extended to germ theory, since it enabled the creation of a vast array of biological weapons, one could classify it as evil but this same theory has lead to tremendous advancements in medicine. Ultimately no scientific discovery or concept is evil in itself, only in how it is applied. Eugenics, if used properly, could, from a Utilitarian perspective, benefit society and improve it as a whole without violating human rights.
Eugenics can be broke down into two classes, positive and negative eugenics. The latter category cannot be considered morally permissible because it goes against an individual's free will. It involves lowering the birth rate of a group of individuals who are considered to have undesirable genetic material. Negative method eugenics can include sterilization, forced breeding or abortions or even genocide. These methods were implemented by the Nazi's and are in part responsible for the negative sentiment towards genetic improvement as a whole. Positive eugenics, on the other hand, does not impact anyone's free will. They include encouragement of people with desirable genetics to mate. This is an outdated and ineffective method because phenotype does not necessarily imply genotype. With technological advancements and breakthroughs in genetics, there are now many more viable options. Genetic engineering and in vitro fertilization open the window to a vast array of benefits as a whole. These forms of positive eugenics do not infringe on the parents reproductive rights as they are optional, but could tremendously benefit their offspring and ultimately society as a whole.