4 ms·

Eugenics works. We know it does. We use it all day every day. With livestock, with plants, with all sorts of organisms. We breed for traits. That's eugenics.

by bena 4y ago

Eugenics works. We know it does. We use it all day every day. With livestock, with plants, with all sorts of organisms. We breed for traits. That's eugenics. The reason we don't practice eugenics with humans is that it removes our agency and tramples our rights. And that's morally abhorrent. We don't need to pretend that it doesn't work. We just need to acknowledge that directing the procreation of other humans is just flat out morally wrong.

vorpalhex 4y ago
Eugenics doesn't work. The goal of Eugenics is not to grow more corn or make people more fertile. If those were it's goals, it could work. Eugenics specifically aims to change the social situation (poverty, crime, drug use, etc) by changing the gene pool. That will never work, crime is not a genetic condition. What you describe is genetic modification, not eugenics.
- bena 4y ago
  Have you seen dogs? You can breed for traits. I'm fully capable of realizing that forced breeding/sterilization is inhumane and also be aware that it is capable of getting results.
  - vorpalhex 4y ago
    We both agree bad things are bad, agreed. But really, eugenics doesn't work. If you go to a really crime filled area, legally/ethically adopt a dozen babies and raise them in a low crime area.. they will look like the area they were raised in, not like the kids who grew up in a high crime area. The inverse holds too. Go take a dozen babies from a low crime area, throw them in a dangerous high crime area, and they will be criminals. With animals, you can breed for some general traits but not consistently. Some German shepherds don't take orders well. Some non-herding dogs will be great at herding. If you want to raise, eg a police k9, you need to start with a very young dog (or get lucky), you can't randomly pull from a breed (oh, this dog is a GS, they will be a great police k9). If you engage in a really aggressive eugenics program you will.. basically not change anything.

by bena 4y ago

vorpalhex 4y ago

Eugenics doesn't work. The goal of Eugenics is not to grow more corn or make people more fertile. If those were it's goals, it could work. Eugenics specifically aims to change the social situation (poverty, crime, drug use, etc) by changing the gene pool. That will never work, crime is not a genetic condition. What you describe is genetic modification, not eugenics.

bena 4y ago
Have you seen dogs? You can breed for traits. I'm fully capable of realizing that forced breeding/sterilization is inhumane and also be aware that it is capable of getting results.
- vorpalhex 4y ago
  We both agree bad things are bad, agreed. But really, eugenics doesn't work. If you go to a really crime filled area, legally/ethically adopt a dozen babies and raise them in a low crime area.. they will look like the area they were raised in, not like the kids who grew up in a high crime area. The inverse holds too. Go take a dozen babies from a low crime area, throw them in a dangerous high crime area, and they will be criminals. With animals, you can breed for some general traits but not consistently. Some German shepherds don't take orders well. Some non-herding dogs will be great at herding. If you want to raise, eg a police k9, you need to start with a very young dog (or get lucky), you can't randomly pull from a breed (oh, this dog is a GS, they will be a great police k9). If you engage in a really aggressive eugenics program you will.. basically not change anything.