Originally Posted By: Sini
Lets not Goodwin this thread.
I have no idea what this means.
Originally Posted By: Derid
@ Kaotic : sf writers are often if not usually extremely intelligent, educated and insightful. Just because something appears in fiction does not mean it is flippantly constructed. Also, the type of eugenics being discussed have nothing in common with the pogroms of the 3rd Reich - instead think pre-natal care. If your fetus has downs syndrome, but you can use a virus programmed to repair the chromosomes do you use it? If your fetus has a malformed skull, and you can use a virus to repair the sequence do you use it? Ok, what if you can use the technique to impart resistance to HIV or Plague? What if you can identify markers for intellect and give your kid an extra 20 IQ points?
I think viewing eugenics through rose colored glasses is the reason that it took us so long to get into the war in the first place. Most of those ideas originated here with folks like Margaret Sanger and all in the name of removing "undesirables" from society. As for the type of eugenics, I only know of one type and it supports the propagation of those deemed fit or worthy and the elimination, through direct or indirect means, of those who aren't.

I wasn't suggesting that things addressed in SF novels aren't creatively designed and well thought out and I wasn't accusing Sini of being flip. I was merely suggesting that we know where that road leads. You should know as well as any of us that any power given to the government (I know you're not so naive as to think it wouldn't end up there), no matter how altruistic it seems, will eventually be corrupted and abused.

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