Question

1.Discuss the two methods how Eugenics have been applied in modern history.

2.Explain the ethical issues (components) related to Eugenics.

3. EQ: Are sperm banks legal and/or ethical? Why? Why not?

Answer 1

Ans) Eugenics made its first official appearance in American history through marriage laws. In 1896, Connecticut made it illegal for people with epilepsy or who were “feeble-minded” to marry. In 1903, the American Breeder's Association was created to study eugenics.

2)

There are two ways to approach selective breeding. First is the idea of breeding for 'desirable' traits to improve the human race, called positive eugenics. This focused on giving monetary incentives in the form of tax breaks and stipends to encourage the 'best' to reproduce and pass on their traits. These were designed to motivate those with desirable traits to have more children and therefore increase the number of individuals with such traits in the human population.

Those who were determined to be 'unfit' or those who did not have the desirable traits were educated against having children for the benefit of the human race. This aspect was dependent on altruistic or selfless behavior on the part of those deemed 'unfit'.

But when altruism doesn't work, the second approach called negative eugenics comes into play. Here, instead of encouraging 'fit' people to reproduce, 'unfit' people are prevented from reproducing, often against their will. Negative eugenics involved sterilization, marriage restrictions, and in extreme cases euthanasia. Negative eugenics was generally geared toward those with mental illness, poor people, people of color, and those with other 'deficient' genes. Preventing such people from reproducing prevented their genes from 'tainting' the gene pool and bringing down the human race.

3) The Ethics of Choosing Sperm:
Sperm banks differ in their selection of sperm donors. All are highly selective, but some are more selective than others. Sperm banks can carry any type of sperm they wish as long as they adhere to proper laboratory standards and respect informed consent