Can science be immoral? Past experience shows that, Yes
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past Experience shows that science is not always “white and fluffy”
In history there are many examples that science tends often to teeter on the brink of good and evil. Someone from researchers just trying to test the new drug, and someone who adheres to more radical methods of knowing ourselves and the world, preferring to conduct experiments, morality leaves much to be desired. Similar experiments, sometimes bordering on cruelty, supported science throughout its existence. One of the most controversial experiments of the XX century can be the experience of the implementation of eugenics in the ordinary life of man, which actively promoted among the population of Nazi researchers. Can be justified such actions for the sake of humanity or of individual Nations, or the doctrine of human selection officially recognize immoral?
What is eugenics?
When in the late nineteenth century, sir Francis Galton, a scientist, an anthropologist and part-cousin of Charles Darwin, became a leader of the new and very fashionable movement, which originated in England, and he certainly could not imagine what in the future will lead the development of eugenics — the doctrine of human selection. So scientist believed in the developed offspring that seriously argued that the teaching may become a new religion and part of the national consciousness. Galton was convinced that it is possible to construct special people whose physical and mental parameters will largely outperform other races. However, all those who in the opinion of the special Commission will be deemed defective and “weak-minded” should be denied the right to procreate.
Based on the theory of his cousin , who was a pioneer of the theory of evolution, Galton developed a special rating of people, in which he placed Australian aboriginals on the one «class» below Africans.
Such a classification has caused a big response from the public that triggered the introduction of the appalling policies of Nazi Germany, which killed thousands of people with disabilities, and has contributed to the emergence of the law on the sterilization of tens of thousands of people in the United States in the early 20th century.
Sir Francis Galton — the founder of the eugenic doctrine
Eugenics: pros and cons
As you know, everything in this world happens out of curiosity. always wondered “what if...?”, but this has not always led to positive results. In the case of the doctrine of eugenics, the science has acted as a powerful weapon for change in the hands of people endowed with great power. So, in 1913 in the UK was introduced by the law on mental deficiency, according to which, those people who, for one reason or another were deemed “insane” had to be separated from society and literally locked in specialized colonies.
A Little later, in Nazi Germany, was officially introduced the program Aktion Tiergartenstrasse 4, or the Program of killing of T-4, which was destroyed more than 300,000 disabled people, the main motive of which was belief in the “cleansing” of the Aryan race and the world in General from the “extra” people.
Main motive of eugenic program was the creation of a perfect race of people without any physical and mental shortcomings.
Due to the fact that the Prime Minister of great Britain Winston Churchill was an ardent supporter of eugenics, under the concept of “feeble-minded” were in his opinion not only suffering from mental ailments of people, but almost half of the globe. So, Churchill was outspoken in his hostility to Indians, Kurds and even the Germans, who under the category of the feeble-minded could get perfectly healthy woman in the case of medical complications during the birth of a child.
Despite the fact that eugenics is currently under official taboo, some of it starts to resurface in the form of studies of human DNA. So, now for a fee it is possible to produce “designer” of the person with the given eye color, hair and other external features. In addition, research in the near future will allow humanity to forget about genetic diseases, warning them at the earliest stage of fetal development. However, how can we find this fine line that makes eugenics and its supporting science immoral? Share your thoughts in our .
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