During the last two centuries scientists have discovered the secrets of DNA, they created the internet, sequenced the human genome, and they are trying to find ways to mimic certain biological processes. Eventually through the continued advancement of biotechnology scientists are going to find ways to create body parts, bodily fluids, and develop other ways to treat several diseases. The historical and political aspects of a country easily influence science and medicine, yet medicine and science can also influence the historical and political aspects of a country. Medicine and science is what influenced the development of ‘racial hygiene’, which then led to the science of eugenics. This ideology of racial hygiene and eugenics is what led the
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Henry Friedlander stated in an article that the eugenics movement did two things: the first one is it motivated scientists to research how social traits are transmitted especially undesirable traits and secondly it suggested biological solutions to the social issues and pushed for their solutions to be executed (41). Galton believed that he had the ability to help society by selecting certain traits or certain people for breeding. Genetic experiments were used as a baseline for possible future experiments for humans. For example, Mendel’s experiment on phenotypic traits in plants and animal breeders breeding for desirable traits in their livestock were the starting point for future experiments on humans with the intention of improving the quality of life for the human population. According to Wyszynski the main purpose of the eugenics movement led by Francis Galton, was to perform research based on eugenics in order to inform society about the concerns of mentally and physically disabled individuals reproducing, in fear of these individuals passing on their undesirable traits to their offspring (295). By preventing individuals who are inferior from reproducing their weaknesses will not be passed on to future generations improving the overall gene pool or race. Eugenics was developed in hopes of encouraging desirable births and discouraging …show more content…
Eugenics in Germany was referred to ‘racial hygiene’ and Germans discussed what it meant to be German, or what it meant to be a part of other ethnic groups, leading to the idea of a superior race. This ideology of racial science advanced a theory that complemented Aryan ideology that asserted racial superiority. In order to support this idea of a superior race and further explain where the idea came from they frequently used scientific knowledge and scientific theories to help defend their arguments; however, most of eugenics was speculative and not based on fact. Since eugenics was not widely supported by science, the German racial ideology supplemented the gaps in knowledge with pseudo-scientific theories. Nazis seemed to be most interested in whether or not actual illnesses and behaviors were genetically based and if they were they believed it would be easier to improve the race using
Henry Friedlander stated in an article that the eugenics movement did two things: the first one is it motivated scientists to research how social traits are transmitted especially undesirable traits and secondly it suggested biological solutions to the social issues and pushed for their solutions to be executed (41). Galton believed that he had the ability to help society by selecting certain traits or certain people for breeding. Genetic experiments were used as a baseline for possible future experiments for humans. For example, Mendel’s experiment on phenotypic traits in plants and animal breeders breeding for desirable traits in their livestock were the starting point for future experiments on humans with the intention of improving the quality of life for the human population. According to Wyszynski the main purpose of the eugenics movement led by Francis Galton, was to perform research based on eugenics in order to inform society about the concerns of mentally and physically disabled individuals reproducing, in fear of these individuals passing on their undesirable traits to their offspring (295). By preventing individuals who are inferior from reproducing their weaknesses will not be passed on to future generations improving the overall gene pool or race. Eugenics was developed in hopes of encouraging desirable births and discouraging …show more content…
Eugenics in Germany was referred to ‘racial hygiene’ and Germans discussed what it meant to be German, or what it meant to be a part of other ethnic groups, leading to the idea of a superior race. This ideology of racial science advanced a theory that complemented Aryan ideology that asserted racial superiority. In order to support this idea of a superior race and further explain where the idea came from they frequently used scientific knowledge and scientific theories to help defend their arguments; however, most of eugenics was speculative and not based on fact. Since eugenics was not widely supported by science, the German racial ideology supplemented the gaps in knowledge with pseudo-scientific theories. Nazis seemed to be most interested in whether or not actual illnesses and behaviors were genetically based and if they were they believed it would be easier to improve the race using