4 ms·

If all that eugenics was or is concerned with was the removal of some harmful alleles by consensual methods, and it was not a pile of often racist bullshit fals

If all that eugenics was or is concerned with was the removal of some harmful alleles by consensual methods, and it was not a pile of often racist bullshit falsely claiming to be based on what is actually solid science, it would not have a bad name.

inglor_cz 5y ago
There is a lot of stuff in between. For example, Down syndrome can be practically eradicated by selectively aborting aneuploid embryos. Of course, the embryo cannot consent, and while the parents can, institutional pressures can be put on them to make them change their mind. Countries like Iceland and Denmark abort almost all Down syndrome embryos. This article in The Atlantic does not seem to be completely OK with that, and The Atlantic is pretty representative for East Coast liberal viewpoints. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/12/the-last-children-of-down-syndrome/616928/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/12/the-las...
- throwaway0a5e 5y ago
  > institutional pressures can be put on them to make them change their mind. Which is a weird and arbitrary location to draw the line considering how those institutions tend to lean on other issues, or even the same issue in a slightly different context.
  - inglor_cz 5y ago
    I wasn't trying to draw any line anywhere. It is notoriously hard to draw any lines when it comes to disabilities.
    - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
      I'm saying it's a weird spot for them to draw a line.
- mannykannot 5y ago
  If CRISPR enabled a way to achieve the same outcome while avoiding these concerns (to be clear, I have no idea whether this is a possibility), that would seem to be a desirable outcome from all points of view.
- pixl97 5y ago
  > Of course, the embryo cannot consent, I mean, technically the person born with Down Syndrome would be incapable of consenting on their own life decisions after they were born, right?
  - inglor_cz 5y ago
    While a D.S. sufferer has intellectual disability, its severity may vary a lot, with some cases mild enough that the capability of giving consent might be there. Then there are mosaic cases, which are in the middle between a full Down Syndrome and normalcy. In mosaic cases, only a certain percentage of cells is afflicted. People with mosaic aneuploidies can often lead fairly normal lives.

inglor_cz 5y ago

There is a lot of stuff in between. For example, Down syndrome can be practically eradicated by selectively aborting aneuploid embryos. Of course, the embryo cannot consent, and while the parents can, institutional pressures can be put on them to make them change their mind. Countries like Iceland and Denmark abort almost all Down syndrome embryos. This article in The Atlantic does not seem to be completely OK with that, and The Atlantic is pretty representative for East Coast liberal viewpoints. https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/12/the-last-children-of-down-syndrome/616928/ https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2020/12/the-las...

throwaway0a5e 5y ago
> institutional pressures can be put on them to make them change their mind. Which is a weird and arbitrary location to draw the line considering how those institutions tend to lean on other issues, or even the same issue in a slightly different context.
- inglor_cz 5y ago
  I wasn't trying to draw any line anywhere. It is notoriously hard to draw any lines when it comes to disabilities.
  - throwaway0a5e 5y ago
    I'm saying it's a weird spot for them to draw a line.
mannykannot 5y ago
If CRISPR enabled a way to achieve the same outcome while avoiding these concerns (to be clear, I have no idea whether this is a possibility), that would seem to be a desirable outcome from all points of view.
pixl97 5y ago
> Of course, the embryo cannot consent, I mean, technically the person born with Down Syndrome would be incapable of consenting on their own life decisions after they were born, right?
- inglor_cz 5y ago
  While a D.S. sufferer has intellectual disability, its severity may vary a lot, with some cases mild enough that the capability of giving consent might be there. Then there are mosaic cases, which are in the middle between a full Down Syndrome and normalcy. In mosaic cases, only a certain percentage of cells is afflicted. People with mosaic aneuploidies can often lead fairly normal lives.