Eugenics — What’s in a Word?
<p><strong>Will we ever be able to talk rationally about eugenics?</strong> <strong>The word ‘eugenics’ has a bad reputation to put it mildly. Even writing an article about it is asking for trouble, but here goes. Eugenics is immediately associated with the Holocaust and since then it has been quite rightly put to bed and has not seen the light of day. Mention the word eugenics and the instant instinctive reaction is of repulsion, shame, embarrassment. Our shared recent history has given us an automatic repulsion to the word. But it was the horrific act of genocide that was the mistake rather than eugenics itself that we should blame. The word eugenics itself is the stumbling block. Its meaning is entirely benign, meaning ‘good genes’ and has the potential to make the world a better place. At some point we should recognise it has served its time and with a mature viewpoint it can tentatively come out of the closet and re-join society.</strong></p>
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