The German Medical Association has issued a remarkably blunt and straightforward apology, more than six decades after the end of World War II, for the role it played during the Holocaust in the mass murder, sterilization and barbaric medical experiments done on Jews and many other groups.
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Posted by
Intomorrow on 06/14 at 03:50 PM
An understanding of the history is important, many don’t know that Germany went to war in 1939 because of an economic reason and a personal medical reason:
the economic reason was the reckless armaments program funded by the “Mefo” bills.. in early 1939 Germany took apart Czechoslovakia to gain its resources plus its borders with Poland, and then moved on to grab western Poland itself the next autumn.
The medical reason is stranger, but comprehendable; personal reasons count in politics, and what are more personal than medical reasons?: Hitler’s parents had died at a fairly young age (though not for the first decade of the 20th century). Hitler felt his days were numbered and he said in ‘39, “I would rather wage war at fifty than sixty.”
Hitler turned fifty in April of ‘39.
Posted by
David Pearce on 06/15 at 07:48 AM
Perhaps one reason for the suspicion many German people in particular feel towards transhumanism is their historical memory of the eugenics movement of the first half of the twentieth century. (cf. Robert Lifton’s excellent study of the Nazi doctors:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/0465049052
They weren’t all charlatans like Mengele.) I think we have a real dilemma here. IMO it’s not possible to phase out the biology of suffering, ageing and disease, or pursue truly radical forms of intelligence-amplification, without modifying our genetic source code - and stop playing genetic roulette when having children as today. Yet when anyone asks: “So you support eugenics?” it’s extremely awkward to have to reply, “Yes, but…”
Posted by
CygnusX1 on 06/15 at 09:05 AM
@ David..
I’m not sure how much effort is really required to disassociate the term “eugenics” from its sinister history? As they say, “Proof is in the pudding”, and results are undeniable. It seems to me the only real obstacle to progress and acceptance is widespread awareness?
For example, have you seen this article?
Mitochondrial disease and genetic tweaking due for ethical debate in UK Parliament..
‘Three-parent babies’ cure for illness raises ethical fear
www.guardian.co.uk/science/2012/jun/05/mitochondrial-genetic-disease-ethical-doubts?
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