The word "eugenic" is often misspelled as "eugentics" or "eugenics" due to its unusual spelling. The correct pronunciation is /juːˈdʒɛnɪk/, with stress on the first syllable. The "eu" sound is pronounced as "yoo," while the "g" is a hard sound, like "garden." The word is an adjective used to describe the study of improving the human gene pool by selective breeding or genetic engineering. It comes from the Greek word "eugenes," meaning "well-born."
Eugenic, an adjective deriving from the field of eugenics, pertains to the application of genetic and hereditary principles with the aim of improving the genetic traits and qualities of the human population. Eugenics is a controversial and ethically complex branch of science that emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, impacting various aspects of society, politics, and scientific discourse.
The concept of eugenic involves developing and implementing strategies to control human reproduction by selectively encouraging desirable genetic traits while discouraging or limiting the transmission of undesirable traits. This could be achieved through methods such as selective breeding, genetic counseling, sterilization, or legislative policies. Eugenic practices typically prioritize selective mating or reproduction based on scientific criteria such as intelligence, physical health, or other desired characteristics.
Despite being once considered a scientific field aiming to improve the human population's genetics, eugenics has become infamous due to its association with extreme ideologies and actions, notably those perpetuated by Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. Consequently, contemporary discussions of eugenics often focus on the ethical concerns and potential human rights abuses associated with practices that aim to control people's reproductive choices based on subjective or discriminatory criteria.
It is essential to note that while eugenic practices are widely discredited and generally considered beyond the scope of acceptable scientific inquiry, the term "eugenic" can be used descriptively to refer to historical or theoretical aspects of the field of eugenics or to critically analyze social or cultural aspects related to genetics.
Relating to the science of eugenics; tending to racial improvement by means of sexual selection.
A practical medical dictionary. By Stedman, Thomas Lathrop. Published 1920.
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The word "eugenic" is derived from the Greek words "eu" meaning "good" and "genos" meaning "race" or "birth". The term was coined in the late 19th century by British scientist Sir Francis Galton, a cousin of Charles Darwin who is considered the founder of eugenics. Eugenics is the study and promotion of methods to improve the genetic quality of human populations through selective breeding, sterilization, or other methods, and was popularized during the early 20th century as a social movement.