786 words

1. Lately, the issue of over-population has pretty much gotten drowned out by other problems in the world. But wouldn’t well-educated people be more likely to know about it, and take it seriously, than poorly-educated people? (more…)

Frederick Childe-Hassam, The Sonata

968 words

It seems like there’s a total “disconnect” on this issue [eugenics] between science on the one hand, and popular opinion, on the other.

You’re absolutely right. There are two arenas in which the Nature-Nurture debate is taking place – the scientific one, and the public one – and the outcomes are exactly opposite. (more…)

3,413 words

Editor’s Note:

The following interview with Raymond Cattell (1905–1998) was originally published in The Eugenics Bulletin, Spring–Summer 1984.

Raymond B. Cattell obtained his Ph.D. and D.Sc. at London University, where he worked with Charles Spearman developing the theory of intelligence measurement. (more…)

Charles West Cope, A Life Well Spent

675 words

Even though I believe in eugenics, I really have no idea how it should be implemented. It seems so complicated, and it could be abused. What would a model eugenics program even look like?

When we envision launching a new eugenics program in the West, we need to consider what is effective, what is morally right, and what will be accepted by the public. We can make great strides towards helping future generations with no Draconian measures whatsoever, just a combination of incentives and disincentives. (more…)

Joseph Wright, A Philosopher Lecturing with a Mechanical Planetary, 1766

1,002 words

Whatever happened to the Repository for Germinal Choice? I read that it closed in 1999, but were the children born from this program ever studied? 

All prospective parents signed statements promising that they would take part in surveys in the future, (more…)

900 words

1. What is intelligence?

One simple, straightforward definition of intelligence is is “problem-solving ability.” Another definition is “that which IQ tests measure.” (more…)

824 words

In the British Medical Journal (# 7108, September 6, 1997, p. 563) there’s an article entitled “Thousands of women sterilized in Sweden without consent.” The Swedish government is investigating why thousands of women were forcibly sterilized on eugenic grounds from the 1930s to the 1970s. (more…)

974 words

Editor’s Note

Because of the very positive responses to Marian Van Court’s recent essays on eugenics, we are running a multi-part series called “Ask a Eugenicist.” If you have other questions for Marian, please post them as comments below or email me at [email protected].   (more…)