Eugenics, The Progressive Development Of The Idea

The term â€Å"eugenics† derived from Greek with the prefix eu- for â€Å"good† and the suffix -genos for â€Å"birth† is defined as the science which deals with all influences that improve the inborn qualities of a race. The idea began to arise in the eighteenth century with the theories of evolution and the discussions of race, which gave an opportunity for some to consider and judge that certain traits and features were better and more appealing than others. In this analysis, we will be focusing on the beginning of eugenics, the progressive development of the idea until it’s apogee in the twentieth century, we will also discuss its advocating and the propaganda it received and we will conclude with the ethical implications that this idea rises. The term eugenics was coined by Francis Galton in 1883. However, the idea emerged well before, in the 1700’s with the discussions of race and questions of the superiority of some over the others. Although the main aim of these scientific discussions and theories was to obtain a better explanation and more understanding of the human nature and to ultimately answer the question of why we have so many different races, it was nearly impossible to preclude the idea of a possible superiority of certain races being over others, or of a few to be less better than the rest. To support this idea, Voltaire in his essay said: â€Å"what is the most interesting to us is the sensible difference in the species of men, who inhabit the four known quarters of theShow MoreRelatedThe Social Darwinism Of The World War I1311 Words   |  6 Pagesstate-enforced Social Darwinism of eugenics. Despite the widespread Christian attack on Darwinian tenets, Christians did not fight the eugenics movement in an effective way. Eventually, even legislatures controlled by Christians fell to the false promises of eugenics. 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