His interest began after he followed the lives of men he considered to be from good families. Francis Galton concluded that through selective breeding, a gifted race could be engineering. He called this process, eugenics which literally means good genes. Any breeding that led to less than desirable characteristics was deemed negative eugenics and any that lead to desirable characteristics were labeled positive eugenics (Harvard Law Review, 2008). This selective breeding was deemed necessary as scientists did not believe natural selection was strong enough to cause this occurrence on its own.
This proceeds with the question; what advancements are moral? I believe that any science, innovation, study, or sort of exploration must be morally just, intended to better our understanding of the world, and be created with intention to improve any part of society. For example, the formation of the first rocket ship was monumental in bringing exploration to the new frontier and impacted our society for the better. Therefore this invention would be considered moral and for positive advancement. On the contrary, the scientific creation of something such as the nuclear bomb could be considered scientific expansion for the worse as it can provide horrible outcomes and is lethal if put in the wrong hands; thus classified as
How does Gattaca show that strength of character is more important for determining one’s destiny than biological makeup or genetic potential? Gattaca by Andrew Niccol explores creatively the possibility of a world dominated by genetic engineering. Gattaca is a world that wishes to eliminate genetic imperfections within its elite, upper class. Within this world, an invalid, Vincent Freeman challenges the assumptions of the society and through his actions and attributes, proves that you need more than human spirit to achieve success Gattaca’s social structure allows its residents to be divided into valids and invalids, and more specifically, creates discrimination based on one’s genetic potential. In this world, Vincent Freeman displays enormous strength and determination to overcome the genetic obstacles put in his path.
The evolutionary approach argues that gender role division is a consequence of the adaptation to the challenges and circumstances faced by our ancestors. This suggests that the role differences we observe are more a product of our biological inheritance and evolution than social factors acting on our behavior. As evolutionary theory is a biological approach to gender development, it suggests that our genes have coded aspects of human behavior because they were or are adaptive. However a debate to this approach is the nature vs. nurture approach, nature supporting the evolutionary approach being that we have evolved through survival and adaptation to the situations and therefore passing on the adaptive genes of the survivors. Nurture on the other hand is a view, is a view proposed by the social approach suggesting that behavior is affected by socialization and environment.
Watson genuinely believes in a renewed eugenics, now scientifically accurate and technically powerful, and has laid out a logical, strategic framework for moving science and society in that direction. His viewpoint of eugenics is very strong and extremely controversial, but Watson believes we should practice this method because why have genetic problems if you don’t have to. Although Hitler also had a version of eugenics, Watson feels his is different due to the fact that no killing would be involved, just altering on the DNA strand. Watson feels his ideas would benefit society in many ways. Parents would be allowed to choose the DNA of their children.
Historically, they have been approached through one of two perspectives. First, the nature perspective suggests that human behavior is driven mostly by biology (evolution, genetics, brain chemistry, and hormones). In contrast, the nurture perspective suggests that behavior is driven mostly by the psychosocial environment (for example, how we were raised, our peers, the situations we are in at present). Interestingly, almost everyone in our culture seems to believe that nurture is more powerful than nature. More than likely, this is because it is easier to observe the effects of nurture in our lives (personal experience), because we have been told that nurture is more powerful in our culture (authority), and because it feels more empowering to believe that nurture has more of an effect, perhaps because it seems more controllable (bias).
Charles Darwin had similar ideas, but about biological evolution, emphasizing the importance of just conflict and struggle. Both views looked at an
Adaptations, which are driven by natural selection, are features especially important for an animal’s survival. It is believed by evolutionary psychologists that many psychological functions are adaptations. As altruism per definition decreases the fitness of individuals, genes influencing altruistic behavior should be less likely to be passed on to the next generation Altruism has posed a challenge to evolutionary theory. There have nevertheless been efforts to explain this behaviour from a biological point of view. In 1964, Hamilton introduced the concept inclusive fitness.
They also believe that a person's subjective view of the world is more important than objective reality. The humanistic perspective on personality deals exclusively with human behavior. Humanistic psychologists believe that human nature includes a natural drive towards personal growth, that we as humans have the ability to choose what they do regardless of environment, and that humans are pretty much conscious beings that are not controlled by unconscious needs and conflicts. Two major theorists associated with this theory of personal development that impacted humanism are Carl Rogers and Abraham Maslow. Humanism places an emphasis on the assumption that all humans are inherently good in nature and possess free will.
He suggested those who adapt best to environmental challenges will have a greater chance of survival, reproduction, and passing on genes. Natural selection refers to the idea that members of a species that survive competition and breed will have characteristics better suited to the environment and are more likely to pass on these traits. Natural selection results in successive generations of a species developing characteristics that make it more competitive in its field – adaptation. Explain the principles of evolution with behaviour; make a link to the question If it is assumed that a predisposition for certain behaviours is inherited through genetics, and that the principles of evolution dictate that genetically based behaviours of an individual who has reproduced are passed on (while genetically based behaviours of unsuccessful individuals are lost over time), then behaviours observed today should have an evolutionary explanation. In essence, if behaviour exists in humans today, then it must have in the past helped in human survival and reproduction.