Abstract This review of Eugene O'Neil's "Long Day's Journey Into Night", describes how the characters use denial as a temporary escape from their problems. Whether it be denying personal qualities, such as stinginess, a bad decision, or an unhealthy addiction, their denial only makes their problems worse. O'Neill uses the Tyrone family and their denial to show how avoiding issues is not going to solve or make them disappear. Though denial may be a temporary escape from a problem, in the long run it is futile.
From the Paper "It is common knowledge that "The first step to recovery is admitting you have a problem." Unfortunately, in Eugene O'Neill's "Long Day's Journey Into Night", many of the characters find the first step to be the hardest. Instead of facing reality, James Tyrone, Edmund, Jamie, and Mary continue to deny their problems in hopes that they will go away. Each of the characters uses denial as a temporary escape from their problems and the reality of the world rather than facing their problems and solving them."
This paper presents two opposing points of view about America's entry into WWI. One, by President Woodrow Wilson, was heralded and the other, by labor agitator EugeneDebs, who was imprisoned because of the speech.
Abstract This paper discusses that both President Woodrow Wilson and labor agitator EugeneDebs made important speeches as WWI began. However, the law was not as tolerant of free speech then as it is today. The paper reports that Wilson, in his speech to Congress, emphasized that he was not seeking revenge even though Germany was attacking American ships, but rather saw America's entry into the war as a means of defense; armed neutrality was no longer possible. The author explains that EugeneDebs, Socialist Party candidate for president, made his speech to a group of working people, opposing the war and claimed it was just one more example of the way the working class is exploited by the capitalist. He was imprisoned for this speech.
From the Paper "Wilson is also clear about what this move will involve--the need for funding, the need to gather large numbers of troops, the need to organize the resources of the country, the need to get the people to support the war, and so on. He is taking the first step by gaining the support of Congress, after which he and members of Congress will have to garner support from the public. Wilson goes into other aspects of his decision that he believes are important, such as indicating that the war is with the leaders of Germany and not the German people, that the primary concern is for peace, and that this is the beginning of a new age. Interestingly, he also points to the Russian Revolution, then only a few weeks old, as evidence of a new democratic spirit, showing either that the Russian Revolution changed directions after this or that Wilson misperceived what was taking place there."
Abstract This paper discusses how the United States government had very few regulatory controllers on corporate greed, which ultimately resulted in the stock market crash of 1929 and the Great Depression. Debs' opposition to the First World War is valid, since America was quickly imploding due to the massive unemployment and labor disputes that were tearing the country apart. The paper further discusses how socialism offers a balanced government that would help stave off corporate greed through regulation, much as President Roosevelt was forced to do through the New Deal in later times.
From the Paper "Eugene Debs was a socialist political activist in the Socialist Party of America during the first quarter of the twentieth century. Debs ran for president on the Socialist Party ticket, which had been caused by corporate monopoly and war profiteering witnessed in the before and after the First World War. The cause for labor rights and other socialist themes were part of his personality, as he sought to find governmental regulation against corporations and private enterprise. This was brought about by unfair wages, governmental support of private corporate monopoly, and the social upheaval cause by excessive greed. Eugene Debs often wrote speeches that characterize his approach to socialist issued in America. In his "Canton, Ohio Speech of 1918", one can see the post war attitude toward corporations that Debs chose to fight against."
Abstract This paper discusses the philosophy and practice of eugenics. It describes how eugenics is used today and the historical role that it has played in immigration. The paper looks at the differences between positive and negative eugenics and discusses the ethical considerations that need to be taken into account when discussing the practice of eugenics.
Table of Contents:
Overview of Eugenics Eugenics Today
Eugenics and Immigration
Conclusion
From the Paper "Even in modern culture, eugenics continues to play a role in immigration. For example, the story depicted in Dirty Pretty Things tells of two immigrants living in London who are forced to engage in sexual acts and the harvesting of their own body parts in order to remain in the country illegally. Although this may not seem like eugenics at the forefront, at its most basic level it is still a result of eugenics. For instance, if the national government did not place strict limitations on immigrants from Africa and Muslim countries (the locales of the movie's main characters) they would not have to live in London illegally. If they were not living in London illegally, then they would not have to subject themselves to such inhumane treatment as forced sex and organ harvesting. Thus, the effects of modern-day eugenics extend well beyond just limiting who can and cannot come to a country. (Frears, 2002)."
Abstract This paper is on the historically based opinions on "is pre-natal screening a new eugenics?" It includes the pros and cons, and composes a position piece. It also defines eugenics, describes the reality and the potential of pre-natal screening, and an opinion on whether this does or could constitute eugenics. It also has the references from Ruth Schwartz Cowan on pre-natal screening, and Garland Allen on the new eugenics.
Abstract Eugenics is the practice of improving the human race by means of selective breeding. Motivated by the rediscovery of Mendelian genetics in the early 1900s, the eugenics movement peaked in the 1920s. During this time period, many scientific papers were published, aiming to show that social disorders had genetic origins and that selective breeding could improve society as a consequence. This paper shows that while the field of eugenics had its foundations within Mendelian genetics, it suffered from subjective interpretation of data and a lack of consideration of non-genetic factors such as environmental influences. These scientific flaws within eugenics contributed to its refutation. All research is quoted from primary sources.
From the Paper "In addition to the inherent bias of many intelligence tests, the interpretations of such tests were subjective as well. In Davenport's Jamaican study, he finds that the Black population scores higher on arithmetic, and Whites score higher in grammar. He claims that Blacks score lower on grammar tests because "Blacks seemed inferior to the Whites in ability to criticize absurd sentences and make practical judgment." What then, accounts for the ability of the Black group to perform in arithmetic?"
This essay avoids taking a moral stance on the delicate issue of eugenics, but gives a brief detailed assessment of the creation of the eugenic ideal and the history of the American eugenics movement.
1,060 words (approx. 4.2 pages), 4 sources, 1998, $ 37.95
From the Paper "These ideas regarding the selection of the human species are generally referred to as "Social Darwinism." Francis Galton, who first believed that an artificial form of natural selection was needed for the human species, defined eugenics as "the scientific improvement of the human race germ plasm through better breeding." "
Abstract Beginning with Darwin's theory and moving forward into the early 20th century, this paper outlines the spawning and fruition of the eugenics movement, not as a tenet of Hitler's racial cleansing program, but as a significant period in American history. The paper shows that, claiming to be based on Darwin's theory, the eugenics movement was little more than an exercise in pseudoscience. In a testimony to the arrogance of man, American society eagerly accepted the opinions of Edmund Spencer in regards to the ?survival of the fittest,? and combined those notions with Mendelian genetics to form eugenics.
This paper is written and cited in the Chicago style
From the Paper "In the late 19th century, Social Darwinism was extrapolated from Darwin's original Theory of Evolution through the union of bad science and conceit. Within a few short years, further distortion of this idea led to the pseudoscience of Eugenics, or genetic cleansing. What followed was the incarceration, maiming, and even death of those deemed physically, intellectually, or morally below the standards of their self-imposed judges. This was not the Third Reich; this was America, home of the free."
Abstract In Alexander Pushkin's novel, "Eugene Onegin", two very different love letters are written by the protagonists, Tatyana and Eugene. The paper examines the differences in the two letters in terms of how they reflect the psychology of Eugene and Tatyana.
From the Paper "The letter that Onegin writes to Tatyana also starts with him saying that she might find the letter offensive and be angered by it. He also says that the letter will give her reasons to mock him and laugh at him. Because Onegin knows this but still continues to write to her, shows that he genuinely cares for her and wants her to know what he really feels, but the rest of the letter does not bring up the way he loves her. Onegin's letter, while written because of his love for Tatyana, does not talk about his love for her. It does not give reasons as to why they should be together. It is more of an apology, a letter of excuses, and admittance of selfish acts brought on by immature thinking and apprehension of intimate closeness."
Abstract This paper provides an explanation of the science of eugenics and discusses its social and scientific origins. The paper addresses the different movements and changes that took place in American society that had a significant influence on the development of eugenics and explores the role that advertising had in fostering its growth.
From the Paper "The study of eugenics as a valid science during the early 20th century American society are based upon two prevalent beliefs, which is the belief in ? the perfectibility of the human species and a growing faith in science as the most dependable and useful form of knowledge (Microsoft Encarta 2002). Eugenics as popular science during the 20th century emerged due to the social "landscape" of American society during that time. In an article by Garland E. Allen in the Image Archive on American Eugenics Movement entitled, ?Social Origins of Eugenics,? the possible social roots of eugenics is discussed in order to analyze and determine the factors that helped popularize this new kind of science, which resounds dominantly of Social Darwinism."
This essay discusses Nancy Leys Stepan's "The Hour of Eugenics: Race, Gender, and Nation in Latin America" and evaluates how theories of "racial improvement" aided modernization in Latin America.
Abstract This paper discusses the conceptualization of 'science' as purely objective and entirely distanced from the influences of politics. Specifically, this paper looks at the science of eugenics as extremely popular in many nations from the turn of the century until the 1940's. Instead of being purely 'science', as many conceptualized, eugenics was used to justify racial segregation and oppression, in Europe, North America and also in Latin America. According to Nancy Leys Stepan, simply because Latin American eugenics was not used as a tool of state policy on the same level of brutality as in Nazi Germany, does not mean that it was not still deployed by scientists and state officials alike to control human behavior.
From the Paper "Latin American eugenics was driven by the desire to purify the physical appearance and morality of the nation. Gender, and the presumed inferior place of women also fueled the structure of the health policy, as monitoring the female body and creating the perfect mother was the justification for the compulsory registration of pregnant women and enforced medical exams for the 'good' of the baby and future citizen. Within the bodies of mothers, the new nation would be born, thus (as in Nazi Germany, but with a different scientific justification and emphasis on propagation rather than annihilation) the state 'owned' the body of the woman."
Abstract This paper explains that eugenic euthanasia means the active or passive killing of 'defective' babies for the betterment of heredity. From Martin S. Pernick's book "The Black Stork: Eugenics and the Death of "Defective" Babies in American Medicine and Motion Pictures since 1915", the author relates the story of Dr.Haiselden, who publicized the death of baby Bollinger. Haiselden's idea of withholding treatment of 'defective' babies, the paper relates, won the acceptance of many Americans, including physicians and parents thereby changing professional beliefs about eugenic euthanasia from the late nineteenth century to the early years of the twentieth century.
From the Paper "The meaning of the word 'heredity' also changed from the late nineteenth century to the times of Haiselden. The professionals of the late nineteenth century believed heredity was not permanent. If a parent had passed on good habits to one generation those habits could be ruined and lost by another generation. Thus emphasis was put on improving the environment instead of controlling breeding. They believed if one's life conditions could be improved their children would inherit the goods."
Abstract A presentation of a case against eugenics. The writer tries to prove that most of the arguments put forward by the supporters of eugenics were racially motivated and based on false or doubtful premises. The possibility of the pseudo-science making a comeback is also discussed.
From the Paper "The "father" of modern eugenics is believed to be Sir Francis Galton, an English scientist and a cousin of Charles Darwin, who first coined the term eugenics in 1883. (?Eugenics,? Britannica, 2002). Galton believed that arranged marriages between men of distinction and women of wealth would produce a gifted race. Galton propounded his theory of eugenics until his death in 1910. Even before eugenics was so infamously used as an excuse by the Nazis to carry out a systematic extermination of the Jews, the Gypsies, the handicapped, and the ?feeble-minded,? it had found a ready audience, most notably in the USA. The influential American Eugenic Society (AES) was founded in the US in 1926. It campaigned for sterilization laws that were passed by more than half the states for compulsory sterilization of the insane, retarded, and the epileptic citizens of the country in the 1930s. Restrictions were also placed on the immigration into the country by people of "inferior" stock such as Greeks, Italians and Eastern Europeans through the efforts of eugenecists. (?Eugenics,? Britannica, 2002)."
Abstract This paper looks at history of eugenics in Britain, Europe, and the United States, its intended purpose, how it was used as a tool to promote racist policies in Germany and the U.S., its impact on contemporary society, and the possible benefits of eugenics if it is applied ethically.
From the Paper "Eugenics originated during the latter part of the 19th century, in response to the social paradigm of racial elitism. The biological manipulation of evolution culminated in several violations of human rights as the term is understood today. Racism for example resulted in the forced sterilization of many people deemed "unfit" to reproduce. The impact of eugenics in contemporary society is also far more prominent than may be supposed."
Abstract This paper discusses Nancy Stephan's work, "The Hour of Eugenics: Race, Gender, and Nation in Latin America," in which she illustrates effectively how race and gender were important tools in the building of nations in Latin America. The paper examines Stephan's arguments and discusses how it relates to the history of eugenics in Mexico and Argentina, in particular.
From the Paper "In Mexico, there was actually a short-lived experiment with sterilization based on eugenics. The Mexican Society of Eugenics was launched, in 1932, during what Stepan describes as a period of conservatism and political nationalism, a form of extreme patriotism. During this time fanatical declarations by political leaders had great impact. If the Mexican "race" was to be improved and not watered down, some members of the eugenics society declared, sex education was needed and even "eugenic sterilization."
"In 1921 sterilization in Mexico had already been implemented for criminals. And, by 1932, the fanatically anticlerical governor of Veracrux, Adalberto Tejada, authorized the first (and only) eugenic sterilization law in the nation. Tejeda's program of sterilization primarily targeted the Catholic Church than it was for any kind of pure race promotion, but it also was a program that was launched following the successful, science-backed, Mexican sterilization of improving the quality of livestock."
