Eugenics Solving Social Problems Essay - 1203 Words

The melting pot was a movement to solve social problems of the population with the use of technology. Eugenics is the use of science to solve social problems. It is defined as the study of 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 persons having genetic defects or presumed to have inheritable undesirable traits or encouraging reproduction by persons presumed to have inheritable desirable traits. Eugenics is from the Greek meaning â€Å"well-born†, eu (meaning well or good) and gene (meaning born). The idea of eugenics is, to make a society with every one having an over-abundance of highly desirable traits, making the society†¦show more content†¦Eugenicists who study mainly racism believe that southern Europeans, Jews, Africans, and Latinos were predisposed to more defective genes. People that studied Eugenics used a false interpretation of Gregor Mendelà ¢â‚¬â„¢s law on heredity so that they could argue that intelligence and criminality were passed down as hereditary traits. During the early 20th century many countries all over the world had policies for eugenics. There are both positive and negative policies dealing with eugenics. An example of a negative eugenic would be the genocide of Nazi Germany. Since the genocide scientist have looked at eugenics as a flawed science. A positive way that eugenics was used is to make birth control available to not have children. President Theodore Roosevelt wrote, â€Å"it is obvious that if in the future racial qualities are to be improved, the improving must be wrought mainly by favoring the fecundity of the worthy types† (Chase, p.15). In 1907 Indiana was the first state to establish such law. Within the next thirty years about 27 other states also had laws. Over 60,000 sterilizations were preformed in America by 1964. In 1896, Connecticut passed the first law prohibiting marriage on eugenic grounds. Funds from Carnegie and Rockefeller prompted Davenport to promote eugenics nation wide. In 1914 his partner, Harry Laughlin, published a model eugenics law. This model law called for legalized sterilization for the socially inadequate (those supported in part or entirely atShow MoreRelatedGenetic Engineering in Humans Essay873 Words   |  4 Pagessociety, almost like the society Adolf Hitler had in mind. In the minds of some scientists genetic engineering for pre-birth enhancement is a potential for disaster. Disputes surrounding the definition of humanity, a threat to freedom of action, and eugenics question the moral ethics of genetic engineering, yet there is still belief that pre-birth enhancement will benefit society. Humanity is expressed by distinct attributes that characterize humans. 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