Still Unnoticed: James Watson’s Eugenic Enthusiasms

Nobel laureate James Watson's racist comments have been widely reported over the past week, and his record of numerous other troubling statements has also received some well-deserved attention.

But no media accounts so far have cited his active and explicit support for a new program of eugenics, based not on outmoded scientific theories but on twenty-first century genetic and reproductive technologies. Watson has repeatedly endorsed using genetic modification procedures and active intervention into human reproduction to "improve" the gene pool.

"A small but disturbing number of other scientists and scholars has joined Watson in advocating a new eugenics," said Marcy Darnovsky, Associate Executive Director. "They acknowledge that this road will lead to greater inequality and new forms of discrimination. But they either say it's inevitable or believe it's desirable."

CGS has compiled some of Watson's statements in support of high-tech eugenics here. Examples include:

• "I think it's irresponsible not to try and direct evolution to produce a human being who will be an asset to the world."
• "If scientists don't play God, who will?"
• "Here we must not fall into the absurd trap of being against everything Hitler was for.... Because of Hitler's use of the term Master Race, we should not feel the need to say that we never want to use genetics to make humans more capable than they are today."
• "If we could make better human beings by knowing how to add genes, why shouldn't we? What's wrong with it?"

"We need other scientists and influential figures to firmly renounce Watson's bigoted and eugenic views," Darnovsky said. "And we need to bring a keen understanding of the new genetic technologies' potential hazards to America's kitchen tables and school rooms."

See more Watson quotes.

See more commentary on Watson.

The Center for Genetics and Society is a nonprofit information and public affairs organization working to encourage responsible uses and effective societal governance of the new human genetic and reproductive technologies.

Contact:
Marcy Darnovsky
1-510-625-0819 x305
mdarnovsky[AT]geneticsandsociety[DOT]org