Discovery Institute Campaigns - Campaigns To Link Evolution To Nazism and Eugenics

Campaigns To Link Evolution To Nazism and Eugenics

See also: Richard Weikart, John G. West, and Social effect of evolutionary theory

In his 2004 book From Darwin to Hitler, Evolutionary Ethics, Eugenics and Racism in Germany, Discovery Institute fellow Richard Weikart links Charles Darwin's Theory of Evolution to Nazism, concluding:

Darwinism by itself did not produce the Holocaust, but without Darwinism, especially in its social Darwinist and eugenics permutations, neither Hitler nor his Nazi followers would have had the necessary scientific underpinnings to convince themselves and their collaborators that one of the world's greatest atrocities was really morally praiseworthy. Darwinism - or at least some naturalistic interpretation of darwinism - succeeded in turning morality on its head.

This conclusion is however controversial, with professor of history at the University of Louisville Ann Taylor Allen giving the opinion that Weikart's talk about "Darwinism" is not based on any careful reading of Darwin himself but on vague ideas by a variety of people who presented themselves as "Darwinian." Moreover, fundamental elements of Nazism like anti-Semitism cannot be attributed to Darwinism since it predates evolutionary theory. Allen concluded:

This picture of the Holocaust as the outcome of a 'culture war' between religion and science leads to serious distortions on both sides. The 'Judeo-Christian' worldview is unproblematically associated here with many beliefs — such as opposition to birth control, legalized abortion, and assisted suicide--that many believing Christians and Jews would reject. And 'Darwinism' is equated with a hodgepodge of ideas about race, politics, and social issues. If all these ideas were to fall into well-deserved obsolescence, this would in no way detract from the validity of Darwin's contributions to modern biological science. Neither religion nor science is well served by this oversimplified view of their complex history.

Discovery Institute Center for Science and Culture Associate Director John G. West, in both his book Darwin Day in America and in lectures, has attempted to link Darwin to the eugenics movement. However, critics point out that:

• this movement came to prominence during the 'eclipse' of Darwinian evolution in the early 20th century;
• the popular support for eugenics was matched with popular opposition to teaching evolution;
• "while many biologists did support eugenic policies, many important biologists did not";
• it was evolutionary biology that provided information debunking eugenics;
• West quoted Darwin out of context in order to misrepresent him as supporting eugenics; and
• prominent evolutionary biologists, such as Stephen Jay Gould have spoken out against eugenics.
• "on the whole the evangelical mainstream appeared apathetic, acquiescent, or at times downright supportive of the eugenics movement" between 1900 and 1940.