Darwin’s Influence on Hitler and Eugenics Charles Darwin’s theories of Natural Selection and Survival of the Fittest can be considered the foundation of what science is built on today. He pushed forward a different perspective on evolution that many have adapted into their own ideas. Individuals such as Adolf Hitler utilized Darwinism and twisted it into their own interpretations. Although Darwin and Hitler are fundamentally different people, many of Darwin’s ideas can be demonstrated within Hitler’s book, Mein Kamph. Regardless of Darwin’s extensive knowledge on evolution, there is a slight intellectual relationship between the two men. For instance, Hitler concocted his own theory of how natural selection should be applied. According …show more content…
Hitler was determined to annihilate individuals that he deemed were inferior to the Aryan race. He implemented a Nazi form of Eugenics, which consisted of forced sterilizations, death by lethal injections or even gas chambers. Although in Darwin’s, The Descent of Man, he claimed that all humans “are descended from barbarians”, Hitler assumes that there is a superior race (282). In a sense, Hitler misinterprets Darwin’s entire theory. Darwin attempts to educate others to understand that humans evolved from more primitive forms (276). However, Hitler completely disregards that idea. To him, it seems absolutely impossible for all humans to be seen on the same level. Ironically, Darwin makes it seem like every organism is on the same level and no matter what that organism consists of, whether it is a bird or even a flower, they all have similar characteristics for evolution. Thus, the biggest difference between Hitler and Darwin is that Darwin interprets all life in a scientific matter, Hitler does not. Hitler made various claims about racial impurity and natural selection, however he did not have any factual evidence to back him up. His ideas were all focused on arrogance and
One of the most relevant chapters in Mein Kampf to understand the basis and roots of Hitler's ideologies is Chapter XI, "Nation and Race," where Hitler discusses the imperative to defend the Aryan race from the Jewish menace and their "corrupt ways". Through this chapter of the book Hitler states his position that cross-breeding decimates the human species by indicating the digressive effects of breeding between races, encouraging the dominance of the strong, and condemning the regression of the superior races.
Did you know that even though Hitler had brown hair and blue eyes, his idea of a superior race was those with blond hair and blue eyes? He wanted this group of people to be superior to all other races because they represented a clean view of Germany. Hitler used his power to achieve this goal by enforcing many rules and creating many different projects. He wanted the people of Germany to believe that they were superior to all other races and they must do everything to maintain the standards of living in Nazi Germany. Adolf Hitler and his Nazis created the perfect race by influencing the education of children and creating bride schools, the Hitler Youth Program, and Lebensborn birthing homes.
Charles Darwin, the Father of Evolution, was a British scientist who laid the foundations of the theory of evolution, transforming the thinking of the entire world about the living things around us (Charles Darwin (1809 – 1882)). After working on his theory for nearly 20 years, he published On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection in 1859. As soon as the book was released, the controversy began with each sides gaining followers until the climax on July 10, 1925. The idea that animals could “evolve” and change into new species, including humans, was one that challenged not only how people thought about the natural world, but challenged the story of the creation from the Bible itself. Even though Darwin himself never said that humans “evolved” from apes, everyone took it as a logical extension of his new theory. It went against the idea of argument for design that had unified theology and science for decades (Moran 5). This new threat to Christianity and the social culture of the time was one that would transform state laws on their educational curriculum.
Hitler wanted a “More Perfect Race”, But how did such a troubled man such as himself, make such a “Perfect Race”, He went out his way in the mass murder of over six million Jewish people, and along with eleven million more who didn’t fit the perfect picture. Hitler’s idea of the “Perfect Race” was very simple, with blonde hair and blue eyes. Hitler thought that blond hair and blue eyes meant power and leadership. Hitler thought people with blond hair and blue eyes needed to be all of Germany, so that meant no Jews, Gypsies, and other people could ever fit into this race. But there are many problems with that.
A demented madman once said, “I do not see why man should not be just as cruel as nature.” Those words reflect an individual willing to manipulate or threaten anyone to accomplish their own personal goals. Those are the words of Adolf Hitler who called forth the annihilation of those he deemed to lack racial purity through the Holocaust. His lack of empathy and the ability to differentiate between right and wrong, motivation based on self pleasure, and rationalization of his actions serve as tell tale signs of his current state of mind at that time. Clearly, Adolf Hitler was a sociopath.
Hitler uses fallacies in his arguments such as; non sequitur, ad populum and faulty appeals to emotion. All of these are simply apparatus that a terribly arrogant and insane man wields to acquire the absolute power that he did in fact attain. Throughout his essay though, we can see that Hitler’s thinking is predominated by a fallacious belief that begs the question: what proof do you have that Aryans are superior to other peoples?
Keith Henson a writer in evolutionary psychology once said that “Evolution acts slowly. Our psychological characteristics today are those that promoted reproductive success in the ancestral environment.” Evolution was first introduced by a naturalist by the name of Charles Darwin. Darwin had written an autobiography, at the age of 50, On the Origin of Species (1859) explaining how species evolve through time by natural selection; this theory became known as Darwinism. “Verlyn Klinkenborg, who writes editorials and vignettes on science and nature for the “New York Times”” (Muller 706) questions Darwin’s theory in one of his essays he wrote called Darwin at 200: The Ongoing Force of His Unconventional Idea. Both articles talk about the theory of Darwinism, but the authors’ use different writing techniques and were written in different time periods. Darwin himself writes to inform us on what the theory is, where as Klinkenborg goes on to explain why Darwinism is just a theory. Today, evolution is still a very controversial topic among many. It comes up in several topics that are discussed everyday such as in politics, religion and education.
The idea of eugenics was first introduced by Sir Francis Galton, who believed that the breeding of two wealthy and successful members of society would produce a child superior to that of two members of the lower class. This assumption was based on the idea that genes for success or particular excellence were present in our DNA, which is passed from parent to child. Despite the blatant lack of research, two men, Georges Vacher de Lapouge and Jon Alfred Mjoen, played to the white supremacists’ desires and claimed that white genes were inherently superior to other races, and with this base formed the first eugenics society. The American Eugenics Movement attempted to unethically obliterate the rising tide of lower classes by immorally mandating organized sterilization and race based experimentation.
But Hitler made it his goal to kill this imperfect race. “Born in Austria,Hitler served in the German army during World War One.” ( The Holocaust) To him the Jews were an inferior race the needed to be eliminated. He thought that by using anti-semitism he would become more popular with the crowd.
Hitler had thought that the Jews did not believe in the “right” thing so he tried to eliminate the race. He did not want them to believe in what they did and still do. He thought that the Jewish race was inferior and did not mean anything. The way that Hitler treated the Jews were crimes against humanity and I know that many non Jews saw that but did...
Darwinism, the theory of evolution, is a controversial theory that is still being contemplated today. Before the 19th century scientist were puzzled by the idea of where humans, plants, and animals originated. In the late 1700s the question was first tried by a group of scientist, but they were not successful. It was not until a young Charles Darwin found interest in the subject that the discovery was finally able to become a theory. His observations led to his theory of evolution by natural selection. Although, it was a new discovery that shocked so many, Darwin and his accomplices did not realize how significant their newfound theory was. ~~~~
The impact these men had on religious thought was tremendous. Some of them are the starting points for many of the controversies existing today. Of all the scientists, historians, and philosophers in the nineteenth century, the most influential and controversial was Charles Darwin. Born in 1809, Charles Darwin always had an interest in the nature, so he chose to study botany in college. His strengths in botany led him to become the naturalist on the H.M.S. Beagle. On a trip to South America, he and the rest of the crew visited the near by Galapagos Islands in the Pacific Ocean. It was there he noticed many different variations of the same general plants and birdshe saw previously in South America. He also observed ancient fossils of extinct organisms that closely resembled modern organisms. By 1859, all of these observations inspired him to write down his theories. He wanted to explain how evolution had occurred through a process called natural selection. In his published work, On the Origin of the Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life, or On the Origin of Species for short, Darwin stated that, "new species have come on the stage slowly and at successive intervals."(1) He also said, "old forms are supplanted by new and improved forms," and all organisms play a part in the "struggle for life.
The treatment of Jews and other minority groups by the Nazi’s can be described as actions that could only be done by a totalitarian state. Hitler believed in eugenics, the idea of improving a race by selective breeding. Nazi ideology of the Jewish race was severe anti-Semitism and pure hatred. The Nazi policy towards the Jews has been said to be the most brutal and horrific example of anti-Semitism in history.
But he describes it with a different tone than Darwin did as he seems to talk about himself as a dictator. He does this by saying “He will then feel that in a world in which planets and suns follow circular trajectories, moons revolve around planets, and force reigns everywhere and supreme over weakness”(Hitler) explaining that he himself is natural selection and nothing else is more powerful than him. Which is why he was responsible for so many deaths and the holocaust because he felt that he was a higher being than the Jews, who he thought were in a conspiracy to take the world over. Which causes his to say “Man cannot be subject to special laws of his own.” meaning that everyone he sees as inferior has no power over
“All you need is ignorance and confidence and the success is sure.” (“Mark Twain”). On February 12th of 1809 a new face entered this world and they called him Charles Robert Darwin and he would change the way we thought of evolution. This man was ignorant and hard headed. He did not believe what anybody told him; to find out for himself. Charles Darwin’s confidence was one of his strong attributes. Darwin did everything he believed in with all of his heart and mind.