Other than the standard PC response, is Eugenics a pseudoscience or are there any inherited traits in humans?

Answer 1

I think that you are confused about what "eugenics" means.

Of course people inherent their genes from their parents. This is not eugenics; it is heredity.

Eugenics is a social philosophy which advocates the improvement of human hereditary traits through various forms of intervention. Selective breeding, usually.

Answer 2

You have erected a false dichotomy. One could be true without the other being false. Humans have inherited traits, but eugenics is not considered a " good " approach to science. Not only for ethical reasons, but for the fact that we can not breed humans for the desired traits that a eugenicist would want. With the pleiotropic and polygenic effects of the genes, you could go for an additive effect, say greater height and end up with deleterious effects not wanted. With pleiotropy, we do not know all the effects of just one gene, let alone a gang of polygenic genes that continuously influence some trait.

Answer 3

Eugenics comes from a gross misunderstanding of the theory of evolution's 'survival of the fittest' aphorism.

Basically, the idea behind eugenics is that if you carefully breed specially selected humans, you can somehow create the 'perfect' human.

However, beyond the monstrous ethical implications of carrying out such a plan, it also pre-supposes that the breeders know exactly what constitutes a 'perfect' human. It is certainly possible to breed humans to display certain characteristics (i.e. blonde hair, blue eyes), but to call these 'perfect' takes a great deal of hubris.

It also pre-supposes that certain 'perfect' characteristics are not mutually exclusive. It may well be that complete immunity to peanut allergies carries with it the cost of increased susceptibility to Japanese encephalitis. There may be no way to create someone who is completely immune to disease. We just don't know enough about human genetic diversity to make such statements or decisions.

Also, as anyone who's seen the type of dogs that win breeding competitions such as kennel shows knows, breeding for certain traits can make an organism (including humans) completely unsuited for another task. A Husky might be the ideal breed for pulling a dogsled, but it's hardly the perfect breed for hunting rabbits in their burrows.

So eugenics doesn't even really reach the level of pseudo-science. It's merely an attempt to introduce dog-kennel like mate selection processes on people to produce certain characteristics which might be desirable to the breeders, but may or may not have anything to do with the genetic fitness or 'superiority' of the specially bred humans.

Answer 4

Of course there are inherited traits in humans.

And, of course, just like in any animals, certain traits could be selected for in humans.

The problem is "Who decides"??? That's where eugenics become a bad word.

Some parents are selecting for (or against) certain traits with so-called test tube babies. The parents have genetic tests done on the embryos and select the ones that do or do not have certain genetic traits.