Eugenics Argumentative Essay

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Every now and then, there emerges a great idea that changes they way we view and interact with the world for the better. Many times however, it takes an idea with catastrophic consequences to stimulate society to make a positive change. Eugenics is one of these ideas. It was an idea based on faulty ideas of human heredity, the assumption that man himself can change his evolutionary destiny, and was fueled by prejudice and hate. In the end however, its pseudo-scientific and deceptive nature was revealed to the people, and a path to true understanding of heredity was paved.
Eugenics was first conceived in the 18th century by Francis Galton, a statistician, aristocratic inventor, and cousin of Charles Darwin. He coined the term Eugenics (meaning “well born”) in 1883. Galton believed that human talent was influenced by heredity laws, and during this time he began to notice what he thought appeared to be an evolutionary paradox. According to him, those of talent tended to have …show more content…

They believed that eugenics should be an active method of cleansing the society of those showing characteristics of “feeble-mindedness”, a bogus catch all term that was used to describe anything from learning disabilities, emotional disorders, or low ambition. By eliminating feeble-mindedness, eugenicists believed, most of the societal problems of 20th century America could be eliminated. German eugenic scientists had similarly sought to eliminate those with feeble-mindedness, but also sought to eliminate homosexuals as well. However, they took a more racial stance with their eugenics practices and desired to eliminate the Jews, Slavs, and Gypsies. All in the name of creating a “master race”. Although there was racial prejudice in American eugenics, it was far more concerned with using methods to eliminate the

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