Write An Argumentative Essay On Eugenics

Katie Muterspaw
Mrs. Ascoli
AP English
9 October 12, 2014 Argumentative Essay: Eugenics Eugenics has been defined as “The science of improving a human population by controlled breeding to increase the occurrence of desirable heritable characteristics.” In other words, eugenics is a process used to rid certain societies of individuals that could potentially be considered weak, or undesirable. Eugenics is an unpopular yet extremely important, and very serious subject. The idea of whether or not Eugenics is considered good or unacceptable is controversial. I believe the latter. Throughout history, eugenics has been used in a negative way to terminate certain beings because of race, religion, and mental or physical handicaps.
Eugenics has been used to destroy beings from some of the earliest times in world history.
The practice of eugenics was developed mainly from Francis Galton, a well known psychologist from the middle to late 1800’s. Even before Galton, eugenics was known to have been used with Spartans, as well as many other groups. A popular case of eugenics used in more recent history happened during World War II. The holocaust. One of Hitler’s main goals during his time as dictator was to create the Aryan race. He wanted everyone to look similar; blond hair, blue eyes. To do this, he had to take away the outliers that did not fit the wanted characteristics. Jews, homosexuals, handicapped, and others were exterminated during his time in power. This, in my opinion is completely unacceptable. Killing someone who does not fit society’s idea of perfect is inhumane, to say the
least. Eugenics is a subject that has an extremely important history, and could potentially make its way back into present time, so why is it that most people have never even heard the term? And when they do, their first question is usually “whets that?” Some could argue that eugenics is over with, a dead practice, but I firmly believe that the study of eugenics should be taught more in schools to help with understanding what the practice is, and how it has been used in history. I for one had never heard the word eugenics until this year. I was aware of the holocaust and the Spartans, yet none of my teachers ever linked the events that happened to eugenics. I think that eugenics is a way of weeding out the less capable or “weaker” individuals in a society which, in my opinion, limits the species as a whole.
Scientifically, eugenics could be viewed as a good practice to use to make a society more successful. I mean if there is only the best of the best to choose from, a society is bound to be great, right? Wrong. I believe that without the ones who could be considered weak, or different, a society is bound to fail. If everyone has the same capabilities, there is no room for improvement. Another thing to consider before taking out those with disabilities is who those people would be. If a society would want to exterminate everyone with handicaps, they would be taking away some of the most intelligent beings alive. For example, Stephen Hawking, a man with ALS, is considered one of the brightest minds in the world. Just because he has a physical handicap, he shouldn’t be given less opportunities or less respect. Arguments siding with eugenics could say that taking away the feeble minded people, could improve a country, or better the place as a whole. I see how this could be true, but I still believe that without these people, nothing would be the same. The differences between people are what make a country, a
country.
In conclusion, eugenics is unacceptable in any society. It is a subject that, although isn’t popular in modern times, is very important. I think that taking away ones who could be considered “weak” because of a disability is inhumane, and ignorant. I believe that everyone has an equal chance to be great, no matter what they look like, or how their mind works. I believe that the only true disability in life is close mindedness.