Eugenics and Modern Biology: Critiques of Eugenics, 1910–1945

Abstract

Summary Eugenics in most western countries in the first four decades of the 20th century was based on the idea that genes control most human phenotypic traits, everything from physical features such as polydactyly and eye colour to physiological conditions such as the A‐B‐O blood groups to mental and personality traits such as “feeblemindedness,” alcoholism and pauperism. In assessing the development of the eugenics movement—its rise and decline between 1900 and 1950—it is important to recognise that its naïve assumptions and often flawed methodologies were openly criticised at the time by scientists and nonscientists alike. This paper will present a brief overview of the critiques launched against eugenicists’ claims, particularly criticisms of the American school led by Charles B. Davenport. Davenport's approach to eugenics will be contrasted to his British counterpart, Karl Pearson, founder and first editor of the Annals of Eugenics. It was not the case that nearly everyone in the early 20th century accepted eugenic conclusions as the latest, cutting‐edge science. There are lessons from this historical approach for dealing with similar naïve claims about genetics today.

The Transcendence of the Social: Durkheim, Weismann and the Purification of Sociology

“…What seems a sociological gift, i.e., distinguishing communication from heredity, is in fact also perfectly in tune with the hard-heredity revolution promoted by Weismann that culminated with genetics. Morgan named it "the two-fold method of human inheritance" [in Allen (2011)], which clearly converges with Durkheim's view of a homo duplex (S: 171 "man is double") and Kroeber's dualism between the organic and superorganic. Rather than being enemies, sociology and genetics have shared a certain epistemic contiguity in the twentieth century, where a radical separation of heredity and heritage was made possible (mostly via Weismann).…”

The power of heredity and the relevance of eugenic history

“…36 Geneticist Thomas Hunt Morgan, the legendary investigator of Drosophila, was a member of the first board of directors of the Eugenics Record Office. Though he left that post early and later became a pointed critic of eugenics, 37 he was still publicly associated with the movement even as he won the first Nobel Prize for his work in genetics in 1933. Newspapers across the country announced the award given for his "Discoveries of Eugenic Functions of Chromosomes."…”

The Voluntary Practice of Eugenics: Risk-Taking and Religiosity as Determinants of Attitudes Toward Conceiving Children with Potential Genetic Disorders and Inheritable Diseases

“…The pursuit of a perfect human race free of physically and intellectually sub-standard people began gaining traction in the early 20 th century [9]. This newly popular belief, however, inadvertently led to the formulation of morally objectionable public policies that resulted in involuntary sterilizations, institutionalizations, and prohibitions of marriages among individuals with intellectual and psychological disabilities [8,10]. As newly passed eugenics laws took effect in 30 states, more than 60,000 Americans with psychological or intellectual disabilities or alternate sexual orientations suffered involuntary sterilizations and in some cases, were institutionalized [9].…”

“…Eugenicists believe that genetics are the major contributors to the proclivity of such pathological traits as criminality, alcoholism, pauperism, mental health disorders and intellectual disabilities [8,9]. The concept of genetically predetermined conditions spreads rapidly through the educational and health professional fields and later dispersed into the general population.…”

“…The term eugenics, the study of human heredity, was first coined by Sir Francis Galton [8]. Eugenicists believe that genetics are the major contributors to the proclivity of such pathological traits as criminality, alcoholism, pauperism, mental health disorders and intellectual disabilities [8,9].…”