Applied Human Evolution

1. Applied Human Evolution

2. Eugenics Social Darwinism Synthesis Current State Discussion

3. Galton's Concept of Eugenics The improvement of the human race (one, in particular) through the encouragement of breeding between the most fit Artificial selection of human beings Statistical basis Vague proposed system �What nature does blindly, slowly, and ruthlessly, man may do providently, quickly, and kindly.� -Galton - We'll get more to the racial aspects of eugenics in a moment - Darwin spends a large part of his book discussing artificial selection, Galton applies it to human beings - Galton was an early statistician - Galton didn't have a proposed means by which to make this occur (government plans, etc.), and felt that with sufficient promotion people would take it upon themselves. Governments should act to promote it, however. - We'll get more to the racial aspects of eugenics in a moment - Darwin spends a large part of his book discussing artificial selection, Galton applies it to human beings - Galton was an early statistician - Galton didn't have a proposed means by which to make this occur (government plans, etc.), and felt that with sufficient promotion people would take it upon themselves. Governments should act to promote it, however.

4. Human Ability Galton one of the first to use tests to measure mental aptitude �Founder of psychometrics� Galton linked human heritable fitness to physical beauty Burst of measurement in human mental capacity in the early 20th century, often by groups with a eugenic focus �Better Babies� contests 1913 Better Babies contest in Shreveport LA1913 Better Babies contest in Shreveport LA

8. The Jukes Dugdale 1877 � The Jukes: A Story in Crime, Pauperism, Disease, and Heredity Half of the extended 709 related by blood or marriage were criminals or destitute Dugdale's study focused on criminality, others on retardation and mental illness Concluded that behavior was heritable - Here's a softball: can anyone propose other explanations for the Jukes' situation?- Here's a softball: can anyone propose other explanations for the Jukes' situation?

9. Social Darwinism Background of rapid social change through industrialization Theories of Malthus, Smith and Spencer Spencer coined the term �survival of the fittest� Economic Gilded Age plutocrats National / Racial Haeckel - Background: much social upheaval, people being brought into contact with others through industrialization, massive amounts of wealth being made by the few - Using science to justify economic policies, particularly class-based - Economic social Darwinism predominated in the US - National/racial theories often combined; Haeckel's theories had a strong following in Germany that nations must compete militarily for the development of the human race (presumably with Germany victorious) - I tried to get a picture of Darwin with a martini glass- Background: much social upheaval, people being brought into contact with others through industrialization, massive amounts of wealth being made by the few - Using science to justify economic policies, particularly class-based - Economic social Darwinism predominated in the US - National/racial theories often combined; Haeckel's theories had a strong following in Germany that nations must compete militarily for the development of the human race (presumably with Germany victorious) - I tried to get a picture of Darwin with a martini glass

10. Fundamental Scientific Assumptions of Eugenics Human traits of concern to society, both physical and behavioral, are directly or predominately heritable Many behavioral traits are environmental, not genetic These traits can be accurately identified Recessive traits are difficult to track (nearly impossible before today's advances in genome technology) Desirable traits can be maximized and undesirable traits eliminated through breeding or lack thereof Again, issue of recessive traits Desirable/undesirable may be a value judgement

11. Flavors of Eugenics Positive vs. negative Coercive vs. non-coercive Possible for coercive positive eugenics, e.g. USSR under Stalin Racial Anti-miscegenation laws Forced separation Forced assimilation To structure our discussion of eugenics -Definitions of positive and negative separation � many examples assimilation - AustraliaTo structure our discussion of eugenics -Definitions of positive and negative separation � many examples assimilation - Australia

12. Eugenics Methods Positive Child benefits Encouragement programs Negative Denial of marriage Immigration limits Separation of parents and children Forced sterilization (temporary or permanent) Forced abortion or birth Euthanasia Genocide Anti-miscegenation laws (interracial marriage) were found unconstitutional in 1967 Loving vs. Virginia Davenport's Eugenics Record Office proposed 1.5 million sterilizations a year (10% of the population)Anti-miscegenation laws (interracial marriage) were found unconstitutional in 1967 Loving vs. Virginia Davenport's Eugenics Record Office proposed 1.5 million sterilizations a year (10% of the population)

13. Eugenics in the United States Buck vs. Bell 1927 ruled that the state of Virginia could sterilize �unfit� individuals 64,000 sterilizations in the US 1907-1963 across 32 states 20,000 in California Anti-incest, anti-miscegenation laws Immigration Act of 1924 limited number of immigrants from certain countries, particularly southern and eastern Europe Blood tests for marriage licences Research centers: Eugenics Record Office at the Carnegie Institution Blood tests primarily for syphilisBlood tests primarily for syphilis

15. Current and Future Technology Genetic screening Matchmaking: Tay-Sachs, cystic fibrosis In utero: Down syndrome �Neurodiversity� Autism Deafness Embryo selection Gene selection Directed human evolution (?)

16. Sources www.eugenicsarchive.org Larson EJ � Evolution: The Remarkable History of a Scientific Theory. The Modern Library, New York. www.wikipedia.org Other image sources available on request