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| {{Infobox Book | |||
| | name = Dysgenics: Genetic Deterioration in Modern Populations | |||
| | image = ] | |||
| | image_caption = | |||
| ⚫ | |||
| | cover_artist = | |||
| | country = | |||
| | language = ] | |||
| | series = Human Evolution, Behavior and Intelligence | |||
| | subject = ] | |||
| | publisher = ] | |||
| | pub_date = ] | |||
| | english_pub_date = | |||
| | media_type = ], ] | |||
| | pages = 237 | |||
| | isbn = ISBN 0275949176 | |||
| | preceded_by = | |||
| | followed_by = | |||
| }} | |||
| '''''Dysgenics: Genetic Deterioration in Modern Populations''''' is a ] book by ] about ] in modern societies. It is part of a series on ], ] and ] edited by ]. | |||
| ==Synopsis== | |||
| The first chapter provides a historical background for the book. The ] is reviewed, from the early writings of ] and ] through the rise of eugenics in the early 20th century and its subsequent collapse. Three main concerns of eugenicists are identified: deterioration in ], ] and ]. | |||
| The second and third chapters concern ] in human populations. Lynn suggests that natural selection in preindustrial societies favoured traits such as intelligence and character, but that it then broke down. He uses the analogy of natural selection as a gardener, and quotes ]’s line, “Tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed”. | |||
| Chapter four discusses genetic deterioration of health. The author argues that due to the advance of ], selection against those with poor genes for health was relaxed. With constant appearance of new ] genes, the prevalence of genetic disorders like ] is tripling every generation.<ref>Modell, B. and Kuliev, A. M. (1989) Impact of public health on human genetics. ''Clinical Genetics''. 36: 286-298.</ref> | |||
| The subject of intelligence is taken up in following chapters. The fifth examines ], and Lynn concludes that the tendency of children with a high number of ]s to be the least intelligent is evidence of dysgenic ]. Chapters six and seven concern the relationship between intelligence and fertility in the ] and ], respectively, and the author concludes that research supports the notion that fertility was higher among the less intelligent, especially in the earlier part of the 20th century. | |||
| The next chapter confronts the ‘paradox’ of the rise in intelligence. Lynn concedes that there has been a genuine increase in ] intelligence, but argues that this is caused by environmental factors (primarily, improved nutrition), and is masking a decline in ] intelligence (see ]). | |||
| ] and fertility is discussed next, and it is surmised that those with greater educational achievement have fewer children, and that this corroborates the evidence that intelligence and fertility are negatively correlated. Continuing the theme of correlates of fertility, ] and fertility is the subject of chapter ten. Again, the relationship appears to be negative, which Lynn believes to be because there is increasingly ineffective use of ] with declining socioeconomic class. The next chapter stays with the theme of socioeconomic status, this time exploring its relationship with intelligence. Lynn agrees with ]’s comment that “he children of successful and cultivated parents test higher than children from wretched and ignorant homes for the simple reason that their heredity is better”.<ref>Terman, L. M. (1922) Were we born that way? ''World's Work''. 44: 660-682, p. 671)</ref> | |||
| Chapters twelve through fourteen introduce the topic of ], the twelfth examining its relationship with socioeconomic status. In this chapter evidence is presented that socioeconomic status is negatively correlated with indicators of conscientiousness such as ], ] and ]. Next the ] basis of differences in conscientiousness is discussed, and Lynn concludes that ] provide evidence of a high ] for the trait. Chapter 14 returns to fertility, and again the conclusion is that the less conscientious, such as criminals, are having more offspring. | |||
| The penultimate chapter concerns whether similar trends are occurring in ]. Although evidence for such a trend is less strong, Lynn concludes that “dysgenic fertility is a worldwide phenomenon of modern populations” (p. 196). | |||
| The sixteenth and final chapter examines counterarguments. These include that the traits discussed are not ], that intelligence and fertility can be inversely related without dysgenics, that socioeconomic classes do not differ genetically, and that there is no such thing as a ‘bad gene’. These arguments are dismissed, and Lynn asserts that these trends represent a serious problem. Finally, he expresses support for ], which is the subject of his next book, ''Eugenics: A Reassessment''.<ref>{{cite book |title=Eugenics: A Reassessment |last=Lynn |first=R. |authorlink= |year=2001 |publisher=Praeger |location=Westport, Conn. |isbn=ISBN 0275958221 |pages=366 pp }}</ref> | |||
| ==Reception== | |||
| ===Reviews in academic journals=== | |||
| * (abbreviated version published in ''Journal of Social, Political, and Economic Studies'') | |||
| * by John R. Wilmoth | |||
| * by N. J. MacKintosh | |||
| * in '']'' by ] | |||
| * in '']'' by ] | |||
| *] (1999). Review of Dysgenics: Genetic Deterioration in Modern Populations. ''American Journal of Human Biology'', '''11''', 272-274. | |||
| * Daniel R. Vining, Jr. | |||
| * in '']'' by John C. Loehlin | |||
| * in '']'' by ] (Lynn sits on the editorial board of this journal) | |||
| ===Magazines and newspapers=== | |||
| * Thomas Jackson in '']'' | |||
| * by ] | |||
| * '']'' | |||
| ==See also== | |||
| *'']'' - cited in this book several times | |||
| ===Other books by Lynn=== | |||
| *'']'' (2002) | |||
| *'']'' (2006) | |||
| *'']'' (2006) | |||
| ==References== | |||
| <references /> | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
| ] | |||
Revision as of 23:41, 19 July 2008
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