Customer Reviews

Eugenics: A Reassessment (Human Evolution, Behavior, and Intelligence)

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Richard Lynn, Professor Emeritus of Psychology at the University of Ulster in Northern Ireland, brings eminent scientific credibility to an obviously controversial subject. In recent years, perhaps only J. Philippe Rushton has with equal candor applied such crisply sensible logic to the social implications of genetic factors. In highly civilized and democratized countries, genetic quality declines as people of less intelligence have more children and cause more problems than brighter and abler people. That is essentialy indisputable statistically; the problem is what to do about it. Lynn discusses the relative feasibilities of alternative solutions: education, incentives for abler people to have more children and the less able fewer, trying to discourage reproduction among the more indigent and indolent. Past efforts at forced sterilization are addressed. Lynn discusses the modern Singapore program that tax-incentivizes better educated women to bear more children. Regarding efforts to lessen genetic diseases through eugenics, Lynn shows that people with these diseases fill one-fourth of hospital beds. He also points out that psychopaths constitute about 60 percent of prison inmates, so working to eliminate the genes causing this behavior seems prudent and even necessary. Also, low intelligence correlates with illegitimacy, crime and unemployment. It's clear that eugenics can raise average IQ by embryo selection.

While currently distasteful in an egalitarian society such as the US, using eugenics to produce the competitive advantage of a populace of higher IQ is a social benefit that will not be lost on a country such as China, opines Prof. Lynn, a boost to average IQ of 115 being reachable. This can be done by selecting the superior embryo from a large number of each woman's eggs fertilized in vitro. Lynn feels that China, for example, will use this kind of method to produce a superior populace in which genetic disease and psychopathy are eliminated. Timeframe? Lynn estimates ten years in China to implement these methods. Then, in 20 years, China will have a generation of embryo-selected, superior people. Another 20 will result in half the employed population as high-intelligence, genetically superior people. And what about the US? Lynn foresees continued genetic decline as, in the US's non-authoritarian milieu, the less able continue to out-reproduce the more able. In the meantime China, with racial homogeneity and physical and mental superiority, dominates the planet. (J. Philippe Rushton, in his Race, Evolution and Behavior, had already reported East Asian IQs at 106, with Whites at 100.) With my Ph.D. in linguistics/psychology (Georgetown Univ.) and teaching in several universities, I've enough background to think that Lynn's findings and opinions make very credible scientific sense. Whether you agree or not, you will find his book to be exceptionally well researched, thought-out and organized -- though not inexpensive.

Now this is a great book. Lynn addresses dysgenic trends that are going on in the world today. It's not really a question of what to do if dysgenics begins to manifest itself--as shown by the negative correlation between fertility and IQ, to name one gloomy piece of evidence, it has already begun. Mankind has begun to distort its evolution, and this will not be without consequences. Read the book to find out what's the deal.

Highly readable by the way--unlike some of Lynn's other works which were packed with data and citations that were arduous to sift through, I thought reading this was a pleasure. I finished it very quickly due to its fascinating content and implications. The gist is that the Nazis gave eugenics a bad name, and Lynn is here to clear that up. Like most people, I guess I would have flinched at the word eugenics a while ago, sort of a natural response to a "dirty" word these days. After having read the book and pursuing the subject further, I can safely say I'm really passionate about it and hope to continue looking into it in my future.

It's tough to address the issues raised in this book as just one person, but I suppose it begins with awareness and spreading it. Contrary to popular opinion of eugenics, Lynn does not in the book advocate mass genocides, cleansings or such and such as a means for eugenics. Rather it's a matter of structuring incentives and disincentives properly to avoid dysgenic situations. I've seen it said that the modern terms of "medical/human genetics" are simply euphemisms for their core that is eugenics. Best to have some knowledge of evolution and statistics upon reading this book. Psychology and psychometrics are also relevant subjects here. But a decent understanding of natural selection should be okay.

I'm glad to support this book with 5 stars because I think it deserves them. Lynn's best work for sure, IMO. I placed it on my Amazon list of 5 favorite books as well. It was certainly one of the most influential, right up there with Atlas Shrugged. This book should have more solid reviews and recognition.

Social science and public policy have yet to come to terms with the discovery that traits such as IQ and the big five dimensions of personality are highly heritable. So far the discussion has come primarily from scholars associated with the political right, in books such as The Bell Curve, by Richard Herrnstein and Charles Murray, and in the work of Richard Lynn, who in this book presents the view that a humane eugenic policy would be an effective way to mitigate many social problems.

The fact that the discussion has come only from the right is something of a puzzle. The heritability of IQ and personality strengthens the traditional leftist case for policies mitigating the lottery of birth. Currently, public education is considered a sufficient policy intervention for providing all citizens the opportunity to achieve a life with dignity. Nevertheless, someone with a genetic endowment of low IQ cannot possibly benefit much from public education--something more is clearly required. But discussion from the left has yet to begin. That Richard Lynn is one of the first to propose policies based on the heritability of IQ and personality is in part due to the fact that he is a brave man, willing to write about a topic that is still so very difficult to raise in a classroom or scholarly discourse.

The main thesis of the book is that Francis Galton's view of eugenics is still relevant, that a system of incentives would spur the more intelligent and civil among us to have more offspring, and the less intelligent and less civil to have fewer. An important part of the book is the discussion of how the Holocaust was not based on eugenic considerations, but was the genocide of a people that the Nazis considered to be extremely able and therefore dangerous. This is important since so many people associate eugenics with the horrors of the Holocaust.

This book is an excellent book, in my opinion Lynn's best--even better than his 1996 Dysgenics. There are only two things that dampen my enthusiasm about the book. One is the price, which is much too high for a book that should be widely read. The second is an issue that I have with all of Lynn's oeuvre, as well as the work of Charles Murray. That is that there is too much attention given to racial differences in intelligence. It's clear that Lynn is simply motivated by his eagerness to illuminate a truth obscured by political correctness, but the end result is to limit his readership, and to reinforce the popular association of eugenics with racism.

I agree with Richard Lynn's findings and especially his conclusion regarding East Asians. I think the First Reviewer takes issue with his findings because the reviewer is white. Had Richard Lynn stated that whites would be the dominant group in the future the reviewer would have had no problem with it at all. Such childish and eccentric emotions displayed by politically correct whites like that reviewer are further evidence (if any were needed) that East Asians will be the dominant race in the future.

Back in 1960 I was introduced to Cyril Kornbluth's
short stories: 'The Pedestrian' and 'The IQ Test'
in my junior high school literature class.

I then read the anthology from which these stories
were taken: 'The Marching Morons'.

This book---like Atlas Shrugged---scared me then
because I saw trends occurring in 1960 that if
taken to their logical conclusion would result
in a mind-numbing, degrading world as described
by Kornbluth.

The USA in 2008 is striving to fully imitate
a 'Nation of Morons'---see also: 'The Darwin
Awards.'

Dr. Lynn's book, hopefully, will influence our
nation's leaders; but, realistically, this
book will be buried or expunged by Neo-Luddites,
cursed by the uninformed, and buried under
Political Correctness.

God ordered Adam to be good stewards of all his
creations. Failure to control ourselves will
turn this beautiful blue marble into a cesspool.

We have the technologies, the trained people
and the resources to make Earth into a Garden
of Eden---even with 8 Billion people!---;but,
for Politically Correct reasons we chose not
to do so.

God has blessed us with so much; but, we
chose to curse his gifts. I pray that God
is merciful.

I had high hopes for this book, but it fell short of my expectations on several accounts.

First, for a "reassessment" of eugenics, Lynn seems very fond of the original eugenic principles set forth by Sir Francis Galton over 100 years ago. He dismisses several eugenic propositions set forth by more contemporary thinkers simply because they do not match with Galton's original ideas. Furthermore, while Lynn includes a section on biotechnology, he seems to place little emphasis on its importance.

Secondly, as I suppose should be expected of a book about eugenics, Lynn places heavy emphasis on nature's influence on intelligence, health, and personality. The standard stance in the social sciences is to accept nature and nurture as having a 50/50 influence on these factors unless there is compelling evidence to the contrary. And while Lynn does attempt to make a case for favoring nature over nurture, his evidence is sometimes shoddy. Lynn often asserts causation when he only presents a correlation and is prone to mixing his units of analysis (this is called the ecological fallacy in the social sciences).

Also, I found this book to be offensive (and inaccurate) in its classist nature. Lynn writes of encouraging higher birth rates among the rich as if wealth is the same as genetic superiority. While research shows that people of higher socioeconomic status are more likely to have better genes, higher IQs, etc, this is not absolute. According to the APA Task Force report on intelligence, the correlation between parental SES and child's IQ is .33. Any successful eugenics program would need a much better measure of genetic fitness than SES alone.

However, in spite of these failings, I do believe that "Eugenics: A Reassessment" is an important work for anyone who is interested in eugenics and its place in modern society. Lynn must be given credit for attempting to defend eugenics at a time when such a stance is horribly unpopular. And while this book has its weaknesses, Lynn does provide ample evidence that a) eugenics would be effective in improving IQ, reducing genetic birth defects, and increasing positive personality traits and b) many of us already support eugenics without knowing it. Just a few examples of this include:

- Selective plant and animal breeding has been highly successful in producing 'superior' stock (insect resistant crops, higher yielding dairy cattle, etc). Why should selective breeding of humans be any different?
- A multitude of studies on twins and adopted children show a significant genetic component to IQ and a number of personality characteristics.
- If you could choose between having a child (via egg/sperm donor) with Donor A: an unemployed drug addict or Donor B: a Harvard law professor, which donor would you choose?
- The majority of pregnant women in America, when told that their child is likely be born with a severe birth defect, choose to abort their pregnancies.

All in all, "Eugenics: A Reassessment" is a well organized book touching on many different topics relating to eugenics. Lynn's evidence should be carefully considered, as some of his arguments are much better supported than others. Additionally, I would have expected this book to be more embracing of new ideas. However, "Eugenics: A Reassessment" tracks the history of eugenics, looks at where eugenics stands today, and makes many predictions about its future. It is an important read for anyone interested in the subject matter.

First let me say that I agree with everything Mr.Lynn said about eugenic practices and there envitable practical use for the human species. This is really an excellent and exciting book, covering all angles on eugenics even to thoroughly convince a skeptic like me. But he really goofed in the last chapter when he asserted that "China" or more generally "East asians" will rule the world and establish a "world state" where "history ends". No more wars, conflicts, violence, hatred, aggression, struggles for existence just an eternal state of "world peace" dominated by East asians. This preposterous statement is ludicrus, he thinks that European peoples( and the rest of the world) will just let East asians rule over them, and forever submit to them as slaves. Being a stern supporter of my people I cannot except far fetched claims like these based on an asseration that east asians have a edge because of "supposed" IQ's 5 points higher. This has not been validated throughly in east asia and has been marred by deep selection bias, selecting usually intelligent east asian immigrants for a sample. I am not convinced that east asians will ultimetly "dominate" the world, like Mr. Lynn asserts. Even though this general error cannot be ignored, the rest of the book is excellent and quite possibly the best defense of eugenics written in years.