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== Etymology and History ==

== Etymology and History ==

   

   

The word "eugenics" is offensively based on Greek roots meaning "well born," although the Merriam-Webster dictionary won't admit this.  (Compare at http://www.m-w.com the roots for eugenics (missing) against the roots for eulogy and genesis.  A 1966 dictionary lists the eugenics roots).

The word "eugenics" is based on Greek roots meaning "well born." The Merriam-Webster dictionary provides 1883 as the date of origin for the term, which was coined by Darwin's cousin, Sir Francis Galton.  Later Darwin's son, Leonard, served as the president of the First Congress of Eugenics in 1912 in London.

 

The Merriam-Webster dictionary does provide the date of origin for the word "eugenics": 1883.  That was when Darwin's cousin, Sir Francis Galton, first coined the term.  Later Darwin's son, Leonard, served as the president of the First Congress of Eugenics in 1912 in London.

The encyclopedia describes eugenics as now being "in disrepute,"<ref>http://www.fwkc.com/encyclopedia/low/articles/e/e007001431f.html</ref> although Professor [[Peter Singer]] of Princeton University has sought to remove the stigma from it. Richard Dawkins has stated in one letter that it no longer be banned from polite discussion, but did not actually advocate it; in fact he stated in the same letter his distaste for the idea.<ref>http://www.sundayherald.com/life/people/display.var.1031440.0.eugenics_may_not_be_bad.php</ref>  

The encyclopedia describes eugenics as now being "in disrepute,"<ref>http://www.fwkc.com/encyclopedia/low/articles/e/e007001431f.html</ref> although Professor [[Peter Singer]] of Princeton University has sought to remove the stigma from it. Richard Dawkins has stated in one letter that it no longer be banned from polite discussion, but did not actually advocate it; in fact he stated in the same letter his distaste for the idea.<ref>http://www.sundayherald.com/life/people/display.var.1031440.0.eugenics_may_not_be_bad.php</ref>