Sampaio 1

Logan Sampaio
Mrs. Crist
English IV
29th October, 2015

Annotated Bibliography
Essential Question: What is eugenics and how could it benefit humanity?
Working Thesis: Eugenics is the belief and advocation for an ideal state of human genetics, with
traits chosen to be reproduced over others that can be detrimental to oneself.
Refined Thesis: Eugenics is the belief and advocation for an ideal state of human genetics, this
belief and advocation of good genes has held considerable influence into many nations policies
as well as facing criticism for a few of these nations actions in regards to creating a eugenic
society. However, eugenics still holds the potential to elevate human status from one predestined
to mutation to one with access to normalcy or mayhap even advancing the human gene pool.

Krementsov, Nikolai. "From 'Beastly Philosophy' To Medical Genetics: Eugenics In Russia And
The Soviet Union." Annals Of Science 68.1 (2011): 61-92. Academic Search Complete.
Web. 26 Oct. 2015.
In From Beastly Philosophy the author Nikolai Krementsov explains the history of
eugenics in the Soviet Union. Krementsov details both eugenics demise and beginnings in the

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Soviet Union as well as going into depth about the controversy of how it clashed with
Communist Ideologies. The discourse regarding eugenics in the Soviet Union also lends itself to
explaining the exact nature of the science by contrasting it against the leftism of the Soviet
Ideologues. Also in From Beastly Philosophy is an overview of how eugenics attempted to
adapt to the changes in Soviet society in the interwar period and the rise of Stalin. These changes
reflect well the nature of eugenics and the variations of it present in the rest of the world at the
time.

Porter, Dorothy. "Darwinian Disease Archaeology: Genomic Variants And The Eugenic
Debate." History Of Science 50.4 (2012): 432-452. Academic Search Complete. Web. 27
Oct. 2015.
In Darwinian Disease Archaeology: Genomic Variants And The Eugenic Debate"
Dorothy Porter outlines the foundations for eugenics and a myriad of influences into it,
culminating in an explanation of various eugenic ideals. Explained are the fears of eugenicists
and reasoning for the promotion of their ideology as well as the dysgenic function of most
societies in the interwar period. Then, beyond the World Wars a renewal of eugenics came at the
conclusion of a few with the goal of liberating humanity from genetic deviation. Along with this
call came a revision of eugenics as a whole, beginning to view how genes had contributed to all
factors of society, disease, psychology, physiology, etc.

Walker, Mark. "Eugenic Selection Benefits Embryos." Bioethics 28.5 (2014): 214-224.
MEDLINE. Web. 15 Oct. 2015.

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Eugenic Selection Benefits Embryos by Mark Walker delves into a mathematical

analysis of how selection based on genes considered beneficial are of a benefit to a yet unborn
child. Implementation of this selection via eugenics is that having a potential for traits considered
to be good is better than for there to exist no potential of these beneficial traits, this is
considering that these traits increase life wellness and that such is a benefit to potential children.
The article privies the benefits of these traits is rather minimal even in the correct instances, yet
withstanding that the selection of these traits is still a potential boon given that they are nurtured
to their fullest potential.