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Eugenics
Topic Started: Apr 18 2009, 06:45 PM (573 Views)
lamna
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I have just been reading the Neanderthal Parallax and I have been wondering, what would the world be like today if we had sterilized every violent criminal and mental ill person and everyone with 50% of their DNA since about 500BC.

Would their be any difference in society? Would there be a reduction in crime, and why?

I know there are a lot of other factors, but how would the human have changed?
Edited by lamna, Apr 18 2009, 06:48 PM.
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Vultur-10


I think civilization would have collapsed, or not risen back up to the height it did in the real timeline after the fall of Athens, Rome, etc. The same aggressiveness and disregard for rules that can make criminals also makes leaders: I don't think the violent impulse is inherently different from the competitive impulse, and without that civilization would never have arisen, or survived if it did.
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Viergacht
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Even if it began with good intentions, in the absence of the ability to distinguish people who are violent for good reasons from those who are genetically disposed to it, it quickly would have been turned into another tool of oppression and been rendered useless. We've not progressed morally far enough to use eugenics responsibly now, much less then.
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ashwinder
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There is no 'criminal gene' just genes that might in particular environments with particular upbringings predispose someone to a criminal lifestyle. Such a gene could, as Vultur said, just as easily result in leaders, artists, poets, or laymen under different environmental circumstances. Deciding whether people are criminals at birth is as useful as measuring the bumps on their head.

Therefore to answer your question your world would be very much the same as ours, but with fewer people and perhaps marginally fewer extraverts, free-thinkers and sociopaths.
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lamna
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Thanks for your answers. I was not expecting a Utopia. I was just wondering if it would have any effect on aggression.
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Cynovolans
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I agree that there is no criminal gene. Most people break laws because society forces it down on them. People steal money so they can pay bills and food. People sell drugs for money, people steal luxuries to make their lives better and not seem like scum to society. Crimes are not related to genetics but to society. The only effect on society would be that we may have lost several important persons that helped reform society.

Though mental illnesses, can never be destroyed from society. There will always be some sort of genetic mess up that causes someone to think differently.
Edited by Cynovolans, Apr 19 2009, 06:26 PM.
I wish I could give the public a true picture of the queen as she appeared at her best, but this would be impossible, even had she permitted a photograph to be taken, for her charming play of expression while in conversation, the character and intellect which were then revealed, were only half seen when the face was in repose. -Lilias Underwood when speaking of Empress Myeongseong

"I was born in the dark. I went out into the light, and your Majesty, it is my displeasure to inform you that I have returned to the dark. I envision a Seoul of towering buildings filled with Western establishments that will place herself back above the Japanese barbarians. Great things lie ahead for the Kingdom, great things. We must take action, your Majesty, without hesitation, to further modernize this still ancient kingdom."-Min Young-ik to Empress Myeongseong
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lamna
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I said violent crimes, rape murder, assault etc. Theft and selling drugs are not always violent.
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Cynovolans
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Well those are caused by other people, and other people will always be around until only one person is left in the world.
I wish I could give the public a true picture of the queen as she appeared at her best, but this would be impossible, even had she permitted a photograph to be taken, for her charming play of expression while in conversation, the character and intellect which were then revealed, were only half seen when the face was in repose. -Lilias Underwood when speaking of Empress Myeongseong

"I was born in the dark. I went out into the light, and your Majesty, it is my displeasure to inform you that I have returned to the dark. I envision a Seoul of towering buildings filled with Western establishments that will place herself back above the Japanese barbarians. Great things lie ahead for the Kingdom, great things. We must take action, your Majesty, without hesitation, to further modernize this still ancient kingdom."-Min Young-ik to Empress Myeongseong
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sam999
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No effect on aggression but no pupluation problem due to the smaller number of humans.
I am not suffering from insanaty. I truely enjoy being mad.
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lamna
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Eugenics is about creating a healthier people, In fact if it worked then their could very well be more people because less die of disease.
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ATEK Azul
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Eugenics is as bad as communism. It sounds good but it can not do what it promises.

And My entire family would not exist along with 99% of todays populace(A little exagerated but close).

Also with your thinking the american populace would have been sterilized or killed as soon as we rebelled from Europe.

Along with a bunch of others like the french when they rebelled or Germany, Russia and Japan after the world wars would have also been killed/sterilized.

No good can come from Eugenics.

General/special relativity and atomic/nuclear weapons would not exist because you killed Einstein!

You also killed Stephen Hawkings and maybe many other scientists because they have mental differences that make them smarter in certain areas but have them Sterilized/killed because they can not do every thing in A+ rating from Japan(oh wait they don't exist my bad).
I am dyslexic, please ignore the typo's!
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lamna
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You are partly right, both sound good in theory and both end generally up very bad but eugenics at it's core is sound. If only healthy people breed, the population will be healthier. It's not political theories, it's a scientific fact that has been observed in animals. But there is no reason it should not work in theory with humans. Of course the political and moral implications are a another kettle of fish.

In the books the Neanderthals never mention much about war, the last one they endured was decades ago and only killed a few hundred, a horrific black stain on their history for them. I imagine all combatants would be sterilised, but not the opposing side.

Oh and about 30-40% of Americans did not rebel, but that is another story entirely.
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