Ronald A. Fisher and the improvement of humankind

Detalhes bibliográficos
Autor(a) principal: Cruz, Rodrigo Andrade da
Data de Publicação: 2018
Outros Autores: Waisse, Silvia
Tipo de documento: Artigo
Idioma: eng
Título da fonte: Circumscribere
Texto Completo: https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/40480
Resumo: In this paper we argue that the motif underlying Ronald Aylmer Fisher (1890-1962) scientific endeavors was eugenics and the notion of differential fertility. Fisher’s contribution to Neo-Darwinian synthesis and the development of several basic concepts of modern statistics, among others, derived from his interest in providing sound grounds to the hypothesis that the reproduction of the ‘well-born’ ought to be encouraged, while individuals “unfit for civilized society” were to be financially and socially discouraged from bearing children. Fisher believed that all striving notwithstanding, all human societies were doomed to decadence and collapse due to purely biological reasons, being eugenics the only approach likely to prevent such sorry fate. In Fisher’s work statistics, evolution theory, genetics and eugenics form one single logical structure, since all of them directly concern a more general problem, i.e., the biological improvement of humankind. Eugenics did not disappear after the end of World War II, but was reframed at least partially as present-day genetics, including clinical genetic counseling.
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spelling Ronald A. Fisher and the improvement of humankindRonald A. FisherNeodarwinian synthesisStatisticsGeneticsEugenicsIn this paper we argue that the motif underlying Ronald Aylmer Fisher (1890-1962) scientific endeavors was eugenics and the notion of differential fertility. Fisher’s contribution to Neo-Darwinian synthesis and the development of several basic concepts of modern statistics, among others, derived from his interest in providing sound grounds to the hypothesis that the reproduction of the ‘well-born’ ought to be encouraged, while individuals “unfit for civilized society” were to be financially and socially discouraged from bearing children. Fisher believed that all striving notwithstanding, all human societies were doomed to decadence and collapse due to purely biological reasons, being eugenics the only approach likely to prevent such sorry fate. In Fisher’s work statistics, evolution theory, genetics and eugenics form one single logical structure, since all of them directly concern a more general problem, i.e., the biological improvement of humankind. Eugenics did not disappear after the end of World War II, but was reframed at least partially as present-day genetics, including clinical genetic counseling.Centro Simão Mathias de Estudos em História da Ciência2018-12-06info:eu-repo/semantics/articleinfo:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersionapplication/pdfhttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/4048010.23925/1980-7651.2018v22;p50-68Circumscribere International Journal for the History of Science; Vol. 22 (2018); 50-68Circumscribere International Journal for the History of Science; v. 22 (2018); 50-681980-7651reponame:Circumscribereinstname:Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP)instacron:PUC_SPenghttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/40480/27357Copyright (c) 2018 Circumscribere: International Journal for the History of Scienceinfo:eu-repo/semantics/openAccessCruz, Rodrigo Andrade daWaisse, Silvia2018-12-17T14:27:15Zoai:ojs.pkp.sfu.ca:article/40480Revistahttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhcPRIhttps://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/oai||circumhc@pucsp.br1980-76511980-7651opendoar:2018-12-17T14:27:15Circumscribere - Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP)false
dc.title.none.fl_str_mv Ronald A. Fisher and the improvement of humankind
title Ronald A. Fisher and the improvement of humankind
spellingShingle Ronald A. Fisher and the improvement of humankind
Cruz, Rodrigo Andrade da
Ronald A. Fisher
Neodarwinian synthesis
Statistics
Genetics
Eugenics
title_short Ronald A. Fisher and the improvement of humankind
title_full Ronald A. Fisher and the improvement of humankind
title_fullStr Ronald A. Fisher and the improvement of humankind
title_full_unstemmed Ronald A. Fisher and the improvement of humankind
title_sort Ronald A. Fisher and the improvement of humankind
author Cruz, Rodrigo Andrade da
author_facet Cruz, Rodrigo Andrade da
Waisse, Silvia
author_role author
author2 Waisse, Silvia
author2_role author
dc.contributor.author.fl_str_mv Cruz, Rodrigo Andrade da
Waisse, Silvia
dc.subject.por.fl_str_mv Ronald A. Fisher
Neodarwinian synthesis
Statistics
Genetics
Eugenics
topic Ronald A. Fisher
Neodarwinian synthesis
Statistics
Genetics
Eugenics
description In this paper we argue that the motif underlying Ronald Aylmer Fisher (1890-1962) scientific endeavors was eugenics and the notion of differential fertility. Fisher’s contribution to Neo-Darwinian synthesis and the development of several basic concepts of modern statistics, among others, derived from his interest in providing sound grounds to the hypothesis that the reproduction of the ‘well-born’ ought to be encouraged, while individuals “unfit for civilized society” were to be financially and socially discouraged from bearing children. Fisher believed that all striving notwithstanding, all human societies were doomed to decadence and collapse due to purely biological reasons, being eugenics the only approach likely to prevent such sorry fate. In Fisher’s work statistics, evolution theory, genetics and eugenics form one single logical structure, since all of them directly concern a more general problem, i.e., the biological improvement of humankind. Eugenics did not disappear after the end of World War II, but was reframed at least partially as present-day genetics, including clinical genetic counseling.
publishDate 2018
dc.date.none.fl_str_mv 2018-12-06
dc.type.driver.fl_str_mv info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
format article
status_str publishedVersion
dc.identifier.uri.fl_str_mv https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/40480
10.23925/1980-7651.2018v22;p50-68
url https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/40480
identifier_str_mv 10.23925/1980-7651.2018v22;p50-68
dc.language.iso.fl_str_mv eng
language eng
dc.relation.none.fl_str_mv https://revistas.pucsp.br/index.php/circumhc/article/view/40480/27357
dc.rights.driver.fl_str_mv Copyright (c) 2018 Circumscribere: International Journal for the History of Science
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess
rights_invalid_str_mv Copyright (c) 2018 Circumscribere: International Journal for the History of Science
eu_rights_str_mv openAccess
dc.format.none.fl_str_mv application/pdf
dc.publisher.none.fl_str_mv Centro Simão Mathias de Estudos em História da Ciência
publisher.none.fl_str_mv Centro Simão Mathias de Estudos em História da Ciência
dc.source.none.fl_str_mv Circumscribere International Journal for the History of Science; Vol. 22 (2018); 50-68
Circumscribere International Journal for the History of Science; v. 22 (2018); 50-68
1980-7651
reponame:Circumscribere
instname:Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP)
instacron:PUC_SP
instname_str Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP)
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institution PUC_SP
reponame_str Circumscribere
collection Circumscribere
repository.name.fl_str_mv Circumscribere - Pontifícia Universidade Católica de São Paulo (PUC-SP)
repository.mail.fl_str_mv ||circumhc@pucsp.br
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