The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Social Direction of Evolution, by William E. KellicottThis eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and withalmost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away orre-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License includedwith this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.orgTitle: The Social Direction of EvolutionAn Outline of the Science of EugenicsAuthor: William E. KellicottRelease Date: March 20, 2010 [EBook #31705]Language: English*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOCIAL DIRECTION OF EVOLUTION ***Produced by Bryan Ness and the Online DistributedProofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.netTHE SOCIAL DIRECTIONOF HUMAN EVOLUTIONTHE SOCIAL DIRECTIONOF HUMAN EVOLUTIONAN OUTLINE OF THE SCIENCE OFEUGENICSBYWILLIAM E. KELLICOTTPROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY, GOUCHER COLLEGEPublisher IconNEW YORK AND LONDOND. APPLETON AND COMPANY1919Copyright, 1911, byD. APPLETON AND COMPANYPrinted in the United States of AmericaPREFACEThis small volume is based upon three lectures on Eugenics delivered at Oberlin College in April, 1910. In preparingthem for publication many extensions and a few additions have been made in order to present the subject moreadequately and to include some very recent results of eugenic investigation.Few subjects have come into deserved prominence more rapidly than has Eugenics. Biologists, social workers,thoughtful students and observers of human life everywhere, have ...
The Project Gutenberg EBook of The Social Direction of Evolution, by William E. Kellicott
This eBook is for the use of anyone anywhere at no cost and with almost no restrictions whatsoever. You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at www.gutenberg.org
Title: The Social Direction of Evolution An Outline of the Science of Eugenics
Author: William E. Kellicott
Release Date: March 20, 2010 [EBook #31705]
Language: English
*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK THE SOCIAL DIRECTION OF EVOLUTION ***
Produced by Bryan Ness and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at http://www.pgdp.net
THE SOCIAL DIRECTION OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
THE SOCIAL DIRECTION OF HUMAN EVOLUTION
AN OUTLINE OF THE SCIENCE OF EUGENICS
BY WILLIAM E. KELLICOTT
PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY, GOUCHER COLLEGE
Publisher Icon
NEW YORK AND LONDON D. APPLETON AND COMPANY 1919
Copyright, 1911, by D.APPLETONANDCOMPANY
Printed in the United States of America
PREFACE
This small volume is based upon three lectures on Eugenics delivered at Oberlin College in April, 1910. In preparing them for publication many extensions and a few additions have been made in order to present the subject more adequately and to include some very recent results of eugenic investigation. Few subjects have come into deserved prominence more rapidly than has Eugenics. Biologists, social workers, thoughtful students and observers of human life everywhere, have felt the growing necessity for some kind of action leading to what are now recognized as eugenic ends. Hitherto the lack of guiding principles has left us in the dark as to where to take hold and what methods to pursue. To-day, however, progress in the human phases of biological science clearly gives us clews regarding modes ofattack upon many of the fundamental problems of human life and social improvement and progress, and suggests concrete methods of work. The present essay does not represent an original contribution to the subject of Eugenics. It is not a complete statement of the facts and foundations of Eugenics in any particular. It is rather an attempt to state briefly and suggestively, in simple, matter-of-fact terms the present status of this science. While Eugenics is a social topic in practice, in its fundamentals, in its theory, it is biological. It is therefore necessary that the subject be approached primarily from the biological point of view and with some familiarity with biological methods and results. The control of human evolution—physical, mental, moral—is a serious subject of supremest importance and gravest consequents. It must be considered without excitement —thoughtfully, not emotionally. It is hardly necessary to add that no one can speak of the subject of Eugenics without feeling the immensity of his debt to Sir Francis Galton and to Professor Karl Pearson. From the writings of these pioneers I have drawn heavily in this essay. The recent summary of the Whethams, and Davenport's valuable essay on Eugenics have also served as the sources of quotation.
Baltimore, Md., November, 1910.
W. E. K.
I— . II.— III.—
CONTENTS
The Sources and Aims of the Science Of Eugenics The Biological Foundations of Eugenics Human Heredity and the Eugenic Program
PAGE
3 49 133
LISTOFILLUSTRATIONS
FIG.PAGE 1.—Increase of population in the United States and the principal countries of Europe from 1800 to 190026 2.—Relative and absolute numbers of prisoners in the United States from 1850 to 190430 3.—Recorded measurements of the stature of 1052 mothers57 4.—Model to illustrate the law of probability or "chance"59 5.—Plinth to illustrate the difference between variability (fluctuation) and variation (mutation)64 6.—Curves illustrating the relation between the pure line and the species or other large group67 7.—Diagram showing the course of color heredity in the Andalusian fowl83 8.—Diagram showing the course of color heredity in the guinea-pig85 9.—Diagram illustrating the relation of the germ cells in a simple case of Mendelian heredity92 10.—Diagram illustrating the phenomenon of regression107 11.—Diagrams showing the relation between order of birth and incidence of pathological defect125 12.—Coefficients of heredity of physical and psychical characters in school children144 13.—Family history showing brachydactylism. Farabee's data151 14.—Family history showing polydactylism155 15.—Mother and daughters showing "split hand"Facing156 16.—Two family histories showing "split foot"Facing158 17.—Family history showing congenital cataract159 18.—Family history showing a form of night blindness161 19.—Family history showing a form of night blindness163 20.—Family history showing Huntington's chorea165 21.—Family history showing deaf-mutism167 22.—Family history showing feeble-mindedness169 23.—Family history showing angio-neurotic œdema170 24.—Family history showing tuberculosis171 25.—Family history showing infertility175 26.—Family history showing ability177 27.—Family history showing ability179 28.—History of three markedly able families183 29.—History ofDie Familie Zero185