Dysgenics 1820047 226140761 2008-07-17T00:22:54Z Ramdrake 462159 [[WP:UNDO|Undid]] revision 226136826 by [[Special:Contributions/Verwoerd|Verwoerd]] ([[User talk:Verwoerd|talk]]) If it shouldn't be saddled with a non-existent debate, why link it to R&I? {{unbalanced}} '''Dysgenics''' (also '''cacogenics''')<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cacogenics |title=cacogenics|publisher= Freedictionary.com |accessdate=2008-06-29|quote= Cacogenics, the study of the operation of factors that cause degeneration in offspring, especially as applied to factors unique to separate races. Also called dysgenics.}} </ref> is a term describing a system of [[Reproduction|breeding]] where [[selection]] is for deleterious [[Trait (biology)|traits]].<ref> {{cite web|publisher=The CancerWEB Project, [[Newcastle University]]|url=http://cancerweb.ncl.ac.uk/cgi-bin/omd?action=Search+OMD&query=dysgenics|title=dysgenic|date=2008-03-11|accessdate=2008-06-29]]}} </ref> Similarly, it is also described as "the study of factors relating to or causing a decrease in the survival of the genetically well-adapted members of a line of descent".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://uk.encarta.msn.com/dysgenics.html|publisher=Encarta |title=dysgenics |accessdate=2008-06-29}}</ref>{{Verify credibility|date=July 2008}} Dysgenic [[mutation]]s have been studied in a variety of animals such as the mouse<ref>{{cite journal |author=Tanabe T, Beam KG, Powell JA, Numa S |title=Restoration of excitation-contraction coupling and slow calcium current in dysgenic muscle by dihydropyridine receptor complementary DNA |journal=Nature |volume=336 |issue=6195 |pages=134–9 |year=1988 |month=November |pmid=2903448 |doi=10.1038/336134a0 |url=http://www.nature.com/nature/journal/v336/n6195/abs/336134a0.html}} </ref> and the [[Drosophila melanogaster|fruit fly]].<ref>{{cite journal |author=Kidwell MG |title=Evolution of hybrid dysgenesis determinants in Drosophila melanogaster |journal=Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. |volume=80 |issue=6 |pages=1655–9 |year=1983 |month=March |pmid=6300863 |pmc=393661 |url=http://www.pnas.org/cgi/pmidlookup?view=long&pmid=6300863 |doi=10.1073/pnas.80.6.1655}} </ref><ref>{{cite journal|url=http://www.scielo.br/scielo.php?pid=S0073-47212002000200007&script=sci_arttext&tlng= |title=Gonadal hybrid dysgenesis in ''Drosophila Sturtevanti'' (Diptera, Drosophilidae) |journal=Iheringia, Sér. Zool.|volume=92 |issue=2 |date=June 2002|doi=10.1590/S0073-47212002000200007 |author= Almeida LM, Carareto CMA}} </ref> Dysgenics is used by [[eugenicists]] to mean the opposite of [[eugenics]] and has been used to describe [[Negative selection (artificial selection)|negative selection]] in humans due to [[industrial warfare]], [[modern medicine]], [[social welfare]], and differential fertility. Several studies carried out between 1982 and 2004 reported a negative correlation between [[IQ]] and [[fecundity]], and inferred a dysgenic effect.<ref name="pmid12265416"/><ref name="PossibilityUpdate"/><ref name="pmid3217809"/><ref name="pmid10842506"/><ref> {{cite journal | author=Lynn R, Van Court M | title=New evidence of dysgenic fertility for intelligence in the United States | journal=Intelligence | volume=32 | issue=2 | pages=193–201 | date= 2004 | issn=0160-2896 | url=http://eric.ed.gov/ERICWebPortal/custom/portlets/recordDetails/detailmini.jsp?_nfpb=true&_&ERICExtSearch_SearchValue_0=EJ729962&ERICExtSearch_SearchType_0=no&accno=EJ729962 | doi=10.1016/j.intell.2003.09.002 }}</ref> However, during this time, measured ([[phenotypic]]) IQ has been rising rather than falling, a phenomenon dubbed the "[[Flynn effect]]". ==History == The term ''dysgenics'' first came into use as an opposite of [[eugenics]], a social philosophy advocating improvement of human [[Heredity|hereditary]] qualities, often by social programs or government intervention. According to the ''[[Oxford English Dictionary]]'', the term "dysgenic" was first used as an adjective as early as 1915 by [[David Starr Jordan]] to describe the "dysgenic effect" of World War I. He believed that fit men were as likely to die from modern warfare as anyone else, and that war was seen as killing off only the physically fit male members of the population while the disabled stayed safely at home.<ref name="Jordan">{{cite book| last = Jordan| first = David Starr| title = War and the Breed: The Relation of War to the Downfall of Nations| publisher = University Press of the Pacific| date= 2003 (Reprint)| location = Honolulu, Hawaii| id = ISBN 1-4102-0900-8}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|author=McNish I|title=David Starr Jordan on the Dysgenic effects of dysfunctional culture|journal= Mankind Quarterly|date = Fall 2002|volume=43|issue=1|pages=81–98}}</ref> In the 1930s, [[Julian Huxley]], who later became the first director of [[UNESCO]], was concerned by dysgenics<ref name="Huxley">{{cite journal | author=[[Julian Huxley|Huxley J]] | date= 1936 | title = Eugenics and Society | journal = Eugenics Review | volume = 28 | issue = 1 | pages = 24 | url = http://www.eugenicsarchive.org/eugenics/image_header.pl?id=1823&printable=1&detailed=0 | accessdate = 2007-09-25 }}</ref> and described eugenics as "of all outlets for altruism, that which is most comprehensive, and of longest range".<ref name="Huxley"/> In 1965 Colum Gillfallen argued that [[lead]] used by Romans in plumbing and cooking utensils poisoned the water and food of the Roman elite, causing the [[decline of the Roman Empire]].<ref>{{cite journal| author = Gillfallen SC| title = Roman Culture and Dysgenic Lead Poisoning| journal = The Mankind Quarterly| volume = 5| issue = 3| pages = 131–148| date= January–March 1965| id = ISSN 0025-2344}} </ref> Gillfallen's theory was refuted in 1985 by Needleman and Needleman, who showed that measurements of lead from bones of Romans and other peoples provide no evidence that the fertility of the Roman elite was adversely affected.<ref name="Needleman">{{cite journal| author = Needleman L, Needleman D| title = Lead Poisoning and the Decline of the Roman Aristocracy| journal = Classical Views| volume = 4| issue = 1| pages = 63–94| date= 1985| id = ISSN 0012-9356}}</ref> [[William Shockley]] (a [[Nobel laureate]] in Physics) used the term in his controversial advocacy of eugenics from the mid-1960s through the 1980s. Shockley argued that "the future of the population was threatened because people with low IQs had more children than those with high IQs".<ref name="PBS">{{cite web| title = William Shockley 1910–1989| work = A Science Odyssey People and Discoveries| publisher = PBS online| date= 1998| url = http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/aso/databank/entries/btshoc.html| accessdate = 2006-11-13}} </ref> Robert K. Graham in 1998 argued that [[genocide]] and [[Class conflict|class warfare]], in cases ranging from the [[French Revolution]] to the present, have had a dysgenic effect through the killing of the more intelligent by the less intelligent, and "might well incline humanity toward a more primitive, more brutish level of evolutionary achievement".<ref>{{cite journal|author=Graham RK|title=Devolution by revolution: Selective genocide ensuing from the French and Russian revolutions|journal=Mankind Quarterly|date=Fall 1998|volume=39|issue=11|pages=71–93}}</ref> Since 1969, a few studies on differential fertility have theorized that it may lead to a decline in population IQ.<ref> {{cite journal |author=Kirk D |title=The biological effects of family planning. B. The genetic implications of family planning |journal=J Med Educ |volume=44 |issue=11 |pages=Suppl 2:80–3 |year=1969 |month=November |pmid=5357924}} </ref><ref name="pmid12265416" > {{cite journal |author=Vining Drj |title=On the possibility of the reemergence of a dysgenic trend with respect to intelligence in American fertility differentials |journal=Intelligence |volume=6 |issue= |pages=241–64 |year=1982 |pmid=12265416 |doi=10.1016/0160-2896(82)90002-2}}</ref><ref name="PossibilityUpdate"> {{cite journal | last = Vining | first = Daniel | date = 1995 | title = On the possibility of the reemergence of a dysgenic trend with respect to intelligence in American fertility differentials: an update | journal = Personality and Individual Differences | volume = 19 | issue = 2 | pages = 259–263 | url = http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6V9F-3YB56P1-2S&_user=521814&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000059575&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=521814&md5=75ad52e9a7cac14dd14a9acdd31b732d | doi = 10.1016/0191-8869(95)00038-8 }} </ref><ref name="pmid10842506"> {{cite journal |author=Lynn R |title=New evidence for dysgenic fertility for intelligence in the United States |journal=Soc Biol |volume=46 |issue=1-2 |pages=146–53 |year=1999 |pmid=10842506}}</ref> In 1996, [[Richard Lynn]] wrote ''[[Dysgenics: Genetic Deterioration in Modern Populations]]''; Lynn had been previously criticized for distorting and misrepresenting data<ref> {{cite journal |url=http://mysite.du.edu/~psherry/bellcrv.html |author=Leon K |journal=[[Scientific American]] |date=February 1995 |volume=272 |title=The Bell Curve: Intelligence and Class Structure in American Life |quote=Lynn's distortions and misrepresentations of the data constitute a truly venomous racism, combined with scandalous disregard for scientific objectivity. }} </ref><ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.chss.montclair.edu/English/furr/steverbc.html|title= Academic Nazism |author=Rosenthal S|publisher=Department of Sociology, Hampton University|accessdate=2008-06-28}} </ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://edrev.asu.edu/essays/v10n6.pdf |format=PDF|title=Black Intellectual Genocide: An Essay Review of ''IQ of Wealth of Nations|author=Berhanu G|publisher= Gotberg University, Sweden|accessdate=2008-06-28}} </ref> although others have favorably reviewed Lynn's work on dysgenics.<ref> {{cite journal|title=''Dysgenics: Genetic Deterioration in Modern Populations'', reviewed by John C. Loehlin|author=Loehlin JC|journal= Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science|date= 1999|url=http://www.jstor.org/view/00027162/ap030715/03a00390/0 |format= fee required}} </ref><ref> {{cite journal|title=''Dysgenics: Genetic Deterioration in Modern Populations'', reviewed by Daniel R. Vining, Jr|author=Vining DR|journal= Population Studies|date= 1998|url=http://www.jstor.org/view/00324728/di011567/01p0014c/0 | format = fee required}} </ref> Richard Lynn (along with Daniel R. Vining and William Shockley) is a major recipient of grants from the [[Pioneer Fund]], characterized as a [[hate group]] by the [[Southern Poverty Law Center]] (SPLC),<ref name="Mehler">{{cite web|publisher=[[Southern Poverty Law Center]]|url=http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?pid=623 |title=Race and 'Reason'; Academic ideas a pillar of racist thought|accessdate=2008-04-15}} </ref><ref name="Berlet"> {{cite web|publisher=[[Southern Poverty Law Center]]|url=http://www.splcenter.org/intel/intelreport/article.jsp?aid=50|title= Into the Mainstream; An array of right-wing foundations and think tanks support efforts to make bigoted and discredited ideas respectable|accessdate=2008-04-15}}</ref> a civil rights advocacy organization described as "a controversial, liberal organization".<ref name=Edsall-Silverstein>{{cite news | url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/politics/daily/dec98/southern19.htm | title=Conservative Group Accused Of Ties to White Supremacists | work=[[Washington Post]] |date=1998-12-19| author=Edsall, Thomas| accessdate = 2006-11-18}} </ref> ==Flynn effect== The most important evidence against dysgenic declines in IQ has been that IQ scores themselves have not been falling, but rising, in a trend known as the [[Flynn effect]]. An award-winning author and [[genetics|geneticist]], Steve Connor, said that Lynn's 1996 book "misunderstood modern ideas of genetics". "A flaw in his argument of genetic deterioration in intelligence", Jones said in his refutation of the existence of a dysgenic trend, "was the widely accepted fact that intelligence as measured by IQ tests has actually increased over the past 50 years."<ref name="Connor">{{cite news | last = Connor | first =Steve | title = Stalking the Wild Taboo; Professor predicts genetic decline and fall of man | work =The Sunday Times | date = [[December 22]] [[1996]] | url = http://www.lrainc.com/swtaboo/late/dysg_sc.html | accessdate = 2008-04-15 }}</ref> If the genes underlying IQ have been shifting, IQ throughout the population should reasonably be expected to shift in the same direction, yet the reverse has occurred. However, [[genotype|genotypic]] IQ may fall even while [[phenotype|phenotypic]] IQ rises throughout the population due to environmental effects such as better schooling, nutrition and television viewing.<ref name="pmid3217809" >{{cite journal |author=Retherford RD, Sewell WH |title=Intelligence and family size reconsidered |journal=Soc Biol |volume=35 |issue=1-2 |pages=1–40 |year=1988 |pmid=3217809|url=http://www.ssc.wisc.edu/wlsresearch/publications/files/public/Retherford-Sewell_Intelligence.Family.S.R.pdf|format=PDF}}</ref> The [[Flynn Effect]] has increased IQ scores as much as 15 points throughout the [[First World]], but some researchers have argued that this trend now shows signs of reversal.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Teasdale T, Owen DR | date = 2008 | title = Secular declines in cognitive test scores: A reversal of the Flynn Effect | journal = Intelligence | volume = 36 | issue = 2 | url = http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6W4M-4N5KY0G-1&_user=10&_origUdi=B6W4M-4NHD97J-1&_fmt=high&_coverDate=03%2F02%2F2007&_rdoc=1&_orig=article&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=c9722daa72247c894c02035be70c1b02 |doi=10.1016/j.intell.2007.01.007 | pages = 121 }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal | author = Lynn R, Harvey J | date = 2008 | title = The decline of the world's IQ | journal = Intelligence | volume = 36 | issue = 2 | doi = 10.1016/j.intell.2007.03.004 | pages = 112 }}</ref> ==Dysgenic fallacy== A negative [[correlation]] between fertility and IQ has existed in many parts of the world at various times;<ref>[http://www.jstor.org/pss/1972320 Literacy, Education and Fertility, Past and Present: A Critical Review, Harvey J. Graff]</ref> it has been argued that this was true of [[Ancient Rome]].<ref name="Needleman"/> While it may seem obvious that differential fertility would result in a progressive change in IQ, Preston and Campbell argue that it is a fallacy that applies only to closed subpopulations. As long as child IQ can be higher or lower than that of the parents, an equilibrium is established. Subsequently, the [[mean]] IQ will not change, in the absence of a change in the differential fertility. The steady-state IQ distribution will be lower for negative differential fertility and for positive, but these differences are small. For the extreme, and unrealistic assumption, of [[Endogamy|endogamous]] mating in IQ subgroups, a differential fertility change of 2.5/1.5 to 1.5/2.5 (high IQ/low IQ), causes a maximum shift of four IQ points. For random mating, the shift is less than one IQ point.<ref name="Cambell">{{cite journal|author=Preston SH, Campbell C | title =Differential Fertility and the Distribution of Traits: The Case of IQ | journal =The American Journal of Sociology | volume =98 |issue =5 | pages =997–1019 | publisher = [[The University of Chicago Press]] | date =March 1993 | url =http://www.jstor.org/pss/2781579 | accessdate = 2008-04-22 |format = fee required|doi=10.1086/230135}} </ref><ref>{{cite journal | author=Lam D, Campbell C | title =Comment on Preston and Campbell's "Differential Fertility and the Distribution of Traits" | journal =The American Journal of Sociology | volume=98 |issue=5 | pages =1033–1039 | publisher = [[The University of Chicago Press]] | date =March 1993 | url =http://www.jstor.org/pss/2781581 | accessdate = 2008-04-22|format=fee required | doi=10.1086/230137}}</ref> James S. Coleman however contends that Preston's and Campbell's model depends on assumptions which are unlikely to be true and argues that that their dismissal of the "common belief" in the case of IQ is unfounded.<ref>{{cite journal | author = Coleman JS | date = 1993 | title = Comment on Preston and Campbell's 'Differential Fertility and the Distribution of Traits' | journal = The American Journal of Sociology | volume = 98 | issue = 5 | url = http://www.jstor.org/pss/2781580|format=fee required }}</ref> ==In fiction== [[Cyril M. Kornbluth]]'s 1951 short story ''[[The Marching Morons]]'' is an example of dysgenic fiction, describing a man who accidentally ends up in the distant future to find out that dysgenics has resulted in mass stupidity. [[Mike Judge]]'s 2006 film ''[[Idiocracy]]'' has the same premise, with the main character signing up for a military [[hibernation]] experiment that goes awry, taking him 500 years into the future. While in the short story civilization is kept afloat by a small group of dedicated geniuses, their role has been replaced by advanced [[automation|automated systems]] in ''Idiocracy''.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nytimes.com/2006/09/09/business/09online.html |title=Shying away from Degeneracy|work=The New York Times|author=Mitchell, Dan|date=2006-09-09|accessdate=2008-06-29}}</ref><ref name=SailerTAC>{{cite news|author=[[Steve Sailer|Sailer S]]|url=http://www.isteve.com/Film_Idiocracy.htm |title=The Morons Shall Inherit the Earth|work=The American Conservative|date=2006-10-06|accessdate=2008-06-29}}</ref> ==See also== <!-- Alphabetical, please --> *[[Breeder (slang)]] *[[Devolution (biological fallacy)]] *[[Degeneration]] *[[Fertility and intelligence]] *[[Human vestigiality]] *[[Societal collapse]] *[[Social Darwinism]] ==Notes== {{Reflist|2}} ==References== * {{cite journal|author=[[Oded Galor|Galor, Oded]] and Omer Moav|title= Natural selection and the origin of economic growth|journal= Quarterly Review of Economics |volume=117 |year=2002|pages= 1133–1191 <!-- OBVIOUSLY there is an error in the page numbers here--> |url=http://globetrotter.berkeley.edu/macarthur/inequality/papers/GalorNaturSel.pdf|format=PDF|accessdate=2008-06-28}} * {{cite journal|author=[[Hamilton, W. D.]]|year=2000|title= A review of Dysgenics: Genetic Deterioration in Modern Populations|journal= Annals of Human Genetics|volume= 64 |issue=4|pages=363–374|doi= 10.1046/ j.1469-1809.2000.6440363 |url=http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/action/showPdf?submitPDF=Full+Text+PDF+%28190+KB%29&doi=10.1046%2Fj.1469-1809.2000.6440363.x}} * {{cite book|author=Shockley, William and Arthur R. Jensen and Roger Pearson|title= Shockley on Eugenics and Race: The Application of Science to the Solution of Human Problems |publisher=Scott-Townsend Publishers|year= 1992|isbn=1878465031 }} [[Category:Eugenics]] [[Category:Evolution]] [[de:Dysgenik]] [[nl:Dysgenetica]] [[pt:Disgenia]]