Eugenics - the doctrine of improving human heredity, a kind of selection that allows you to control the gene pool. It was popular in the early 20th century, these postulates were used by the Nazis of Hitler's Germany, which alienated society from them. But at the beginning of the new millennium, scientists once again declared the benefits of this teaching for science.
Eugenics - what is this?
The main principles of eugenics were first identified in the late 19th century by the English psychologist Francis Galton. In the 20th century, some governments even took note of this doctrine for practical application, but ethical principles and lack of high performance in practice became an obstacle. Eugenics is a science that determines the principles of autoselection, scientists distinguish several forms:
- Biomedical . Intervention in genetics to influence the survival and health of people.
- Discriminatory . Destruction of selected population groups.
- Repression . The suppression of society forcibly imposed ideas.
Its value has been preserved for the future biomedical eugenics, which allows:
- avoid birth of children with defects;
- to examine young couples for hereditary abnormalities;
- make a bank of sperm and eggs of famous figures.
Evgenika - "for" and "against"
What does eugenics study? This science examines the manifestations of specific features or genes in a particular population. Studies have shown that gene frequencies change when:
- mutations;
- natural or artificial selection;
- random combination of genes in a couple;
- migration.
Eugenics is not only useful, but also dangerous teaching. Experience has shown that the idea of creating a superhuman race attracted many scientists and figures from different countries. But this fascination was the product of genocide and violence. Researchers are trying to divide positions:
- Positive aspect . Every year, a genetic load increases in society, it can be helped by eugenics: abortion, biotesting of risk groups.
- Negative aspect . Until now, there is no definition of how and why defects are inherited from which the society has always wanted to rid itself.
Positive and negative eugenics
The statements about the benefits and dangers of the practical use of these postulates formulated such types of eugenics:
- Positive. Improvement of the human race by approaching the level of the best representatives.
- Negative. Removal from the gene pool of carriers of hereditary defects.
The negative eugenics acquired a notorious reputation, the rulers of the United States were the first to struggle with the degradation of mankind through violence at the beginning of the 20th century. In the state of Indiana, there was a law on forced sterilization of alcoholics, mentally ill and hardened criminals, later he was called "Indian." For 26 years it was used in forty states, but without high efficiency.
Positive eugenics
Positive eugenics encourages the birth of offspring with better genes, but it did not receive a separate development program, as it was never formulated:
- a clear definition of what signs are desirable and which are not;
- effective methods;
- knowledge of the genetics of valuable traits.
Therefore, eugenic measures are still limited only to attempts to prevent the transfer of severe hereditary pathologies. History has two examples of this successful application:
- A program for the prevention of thalassemia, which is also called sickle cell disease, in Sardinia.
- The filtration of marriages in Israel, this is done by a special organization. This became necessary with the bright manifestation in the families of the gene Thea-Saks, inherent only to Jews. It provokes the birth of seriously ill children, if a couple is identified with such a gene, they are discouraged from the wedding.
Negative eugenics
Negative eugenics has clearer postulates, because unwanted signs are much easier to define. Their genetics is better studied by scientists, which helps to avoid such manifestations. But this direction tainted itself with violent manifestations in practice:
- the destruction of antisocial elements of society in Nazi Germany;
- law on sterilization;
- strict prohibition of marriages.
The purpose of these methods is to remove unwanted genes, but the implant has led to thousands of personal tragedies. Until now, there is no clear data, whether such methods helped to weed out "genetic garbage" in the race of the Aryans at the beginning of the last century. But the decrease in the percentage of the birth of children with epilepsy in Sweden, when in the 18th century a law on the taboo on the marriage of people with this diagnosis appeared, the researchers recorded.
Racism and eugenics
People often consider racism and eugenics similar teachings, but this is not so. Eugenics, as a science, develops methods for improving the human hereditary qualities and inhibits the degeneration of the gene pool. And in the basis of racism - allegations of the disparity of certain races, only on the basis of another skin color, the color of the hair or eyes, belonging to a particular nationality. Health, ability , potential - what is appreciated in the selection of eugenics, racism completely ignores.
Ethical problems of eugenics
The problem of eugenics is called ethical, because preserving life for children with mutations and weakened physically negatively affects the gene pool. There is a contradiction: the principles of humanism protect any life, and at the same time lead to degeneration of people. Some scientists believe that if genetic control helps to save mankind from deformities and diseases, all means are justified. Most researchers do not support such ideas of eugenics, believing that it is necessary to achieve improvement, and not to destroy.
Eugenics - interesting facts
Eugenics in the modern world has found application in genetic engineering - the development of methods for reducing genetic diseases . With the help of the basic principles of this exercise, the following are being developed:
- in gene therapy;
- correction of the egg genome;
- reproductive cloning.
A competent approach created a science that was called the "new eugenics". In favor of the correct implementation of the basic principles is an interesting fact. Until the mid-60s of last century, Singapore was one of the poorest countries in the third world, but after a couple of decades it turned into a powerful power. All this - thanks to social policy, special organizations created marriages based on the level of intelligence, with the youth worked excellent psychologists and doctors.
Children born from gifted couples had the right to free education, they made an excellent career. A good lever became such principles, borrowed in eugenics:
- women who do not have higher education paid a fine for the birth of a second child;
- illiterate and badly couples trained offered sterilization, compensation was a new apartment;
- an educated and healthy couple had to give birth to at least three children, for which they had privileges from the state.
Eugenics - books
The principles of eugenics attracted many researchers from different countries. The most popular are today:
- "Russian eugenics" Vladimir Avdeev. The author sets forth all the existing positions of this teaching, so that the reader can form his opinion on eugenics in Russia.
- "Transaevolution. The era of human destruction " Daniel Estulin. The book is devoted to the secret cryptopolitics of the leaders of many countries.
- "The future evolution of man. Eugenics of the XXI century "by John Glad. The main milestones of the eugenic movement, its role in the creation of the next generation man, are outlined.