Galton and the beginnings of Eugenics, James Watson
Interviewee: James Watson. In the 19th century Francis Galton argued that genius and talents are inherited, but he had no idea about the mechanism of heredity. Here James Watson discusses the founding of eugenics and explores some archival materials remaining from the Eugenics Record Office at Cold Spring Harbor. (DNAi Location: Chronicle > Threat of the unfit > Founders > Inherited genius?)
Galton believed that the differences between humans were inherited and he wrote a book about hereditary genius, and thought geniuses should marry other geniuses and have lots of children. And, but you know, there was no way of proving whether these ideas were right or wrong because Galton didn't understand the mechanism of inheritance.
mendelian genetics,cold spring harbor,francis galton,inheritance of eye color,charles davenport,hereditary genius,square regression,american eugenics,cambridge universities,biographical dictionaries,karl pearson,james watson,mechanism of heredity,physical attributes,human populations,classical description,english families,case workers,dnai,albinism
- ID: 15427
- Source: DNALC.DNAi
- Download: Theora Video MPEG 4 Video
Related Content
15431. Charles Davenport's motivation for eugenics, James Watson
James Watson talks about Charles Davenport's motivation for eugenics.
15430. Davenport's Eugenics pamphlet for the YMCA Health League, James Watson
James Watson talks about Davenport's Eugenics pamphlet for the YMCA Health League.
15753. Francis Galton, about 1865
The term eugenics, meaning "well born," was coined in 1883 by Francis Galton, a scientist at University College in London.
15737. Charles Davenport, about 1929
Davenport published the classical description of the inheritance of eye color in 1907 and also did creditable studies of the genetics of albinism and neurofibromatosis.
15752. Francis Galton, about 1865
The term eugenics, meaning "well born," was coined in 1883 by Francis Galton, a scientist at University College in London.
15426. The origin of eugenics, James Watson
James Watson talks about the origin of eugenics.
15432. Davenport and the early relationship between science and eugenics, James Watson
James Watson talks about davenport and the early relationship between science and eugenics.
15468. A plague outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute, James Watson
James Watson talks about a plague outside the Kaiser Wilhelm Institute.
15466. The connection between American eugenics and Nazi Germany, James Watson
James Watson talks about the connection between American eugenics and Nazi Germany.