Darwinian Disease Archaeology: Genomic Variants and the Eugenic Debate

摘要: INTRODUCTIONNotwithstanding his provisional hypothesis of pangenesis, Darwin never developed a plausible or reliable theory the mechanism inheritance. ' In 1 87 in The descent man argued against polygenic scientific racism nascent discipline Victorian anthropology which asserted that different human races were separately created species.2 He alternatively for common humans from monogenic ancestry and differentiating characteristics such as skin, eye hair colour were, like customs, knowledge beliefs, result social rather than biological forces change. also mental states sympathy, empathy altruism evolution not exclusively human.3 Darwin's arguments about evolutionary underlying development an opportunity emergence Social Darwinism embraced Herbert Spencer's progressive depending upon 'survival fittest'.4 proposed charitable preservation vulnerable would allow 'unfit' to procreate leading inevitable decline. disagreed with premises arguing demonstrated emotions compassion.5The influence breeding heredity survival was analyzed using statistical correlation by cousin, Francis Galton, who called Eugenics. Galton Eugenics studied order manipulate 'progress'.6 admired achievements cousin but own natural selection contained no teleological purpose.7Throughout twentieth century eugenic interpretation change rationale socio-biological engineering has stimulated tide philosophical, sociological political critique.8 Current critics explanations consciousness organization argue reductionist models determinism politics are simply most recent expression eugenics twenty-first century.9 This critique contends developments genomic science will give rise society discrimination be determined genetic heritage new forms hierarchy dominated artificially selected genetically enhanced elites.10Contemporary geneticists hunt down molecular pathogenic disposition twenty-first-century Darwinians understand variation disease susceptibility drug metabolism. paper historicize contemporary Darwinian chase interrogate radical debate it what sociologist, Troy Duster, potential unwitting "biological reinscription" racist conceptualizations race.11From time nineteenth-century eugenist, E. J. Lidbetter, method genealogical-tree construction investigate inherited 'traits',12 neither hunting nor its have stood still. Throughout relationship between organic generated dynamic hegemonic conflict. An historical overview twentieth-century debates is initially provided here outline context discourses on race shifted gears directions last two decades.ANCESTRY OF EUGENICS AND BIOLOGICAL REDUCTIONISMFrancis born same year Augustinian monk Moravia, Johann Gregor Mendel (1822-84), produced famous study inheritance sweet-peas founded genetics. …