National Efficiency and American Mass Culture in the 1930s, Essay Example

Describe a scientific or breeding technique used in eugenics

Eugenics is sometimes described as planned evolution for life and many techniques are adapted as attempts are made to upgrade human characteristics into the desired patterns modern scientists perceive as being beneficial to the human race. The main techniques used in the twenty-first century are classical and new eugenics. Classical eugenics embodies four main assumptions underlying its scientific application (Currell & Cogdell, 2006).

This entails negative eugenics, which forges dissemination of information and services influencing unplanned pregnancies and deliveries/births. The second is negative eugenics relates to compelling persons to have sterilizations of male criminals; conduct  induced to abortions, offer incentives for use contraception and sterilizing persons considered mentally retarded. Third is encompasses licensing of parenthood through LaFollette’s and Westman’s plans. Fourth is positive eugenics whereby people are offered childbearing incentives (Beauchamp, Walters, Kahn & Mastroianni, 2008).

Provide the rationale behind the technique

The rationale being classical eugenics is controlling the amount of people being born who may become undesirable le to society. This leaves nature out of the equation as well as social determinant in human behaviour.

Discuss your thoughts and ideas regarding eugenics

Someone described eugenics as the six letter word producing the most hateful thoughts regarding human evolution. The positive is its attempt to diminish the reproduction of species that would not be beneficial to society. However, how moral/ethical is it? When compared to induced abortions due to deformity of the fetus the same idea is operative. Here pro-life and choice issues surface. Alternatively, ensuring that humans have best quality of life by reproducing genes of scholars and genius while may be a great idea are genes the only factor determining human expressions of genius qualities?

Does it have a place in the medical community?

It may have a place in the medical community in destroying abnormal fetus before they are born to suffer and be great financial responsibility ton society and their families. However, is this role of medical science to intervene in this aspect of human existence? It will soon be discovered that even the genes of criminals could produce geniuses(Comfort, 2012).

References

Beauchamp, T. Walters, L. Kahn, J., & Mastroianni, A. (2008). Contemporary issues in bioethics (7th ed.) Belmont, CA: Wadsworth Publishing

Comfort, N. ( 2012).The Science of Human Perfection: How Genes Became the Heart of American Medicine. New Haven. Yale University Press

Currell, S., & Cogdell, C. (2006). Popular Eugenics: National Efficiency and American Mass Culture in the 1930s. Athens, OH: Ohio University Press