Hereditary Genius: An Inquiry into Its Laws and Consequences

by Francis Galton

In the 1860s Francis Galton set out to examine the extent to which genius is hereditary. This research led in 1869 to the publication of Hereditary Genius, the aim of which was ""to show" that a man's natural abilities are derived by inheritance, under exactly the same limitations as are the form and physical features of the whole organic world." In pursuing this analysis, Galton's first problem was to develop a method for assessing high levels of mental ability. The approach that he took was to assume that mental ability is closely correlated with eminence (reputation) in a given profession. As he described it, "I feel convinced that no man can achieve a very high reputation without being gifted with very high abilities; and "few who possess these very high abilities can fail in achieving eminence." Galton then attempted to marshal evidence in favor of the proposition that mental ability is inherited. First he examined the shape of the distribution of mental ability. Analyzing the scores of 200 candidates who had taken the Mathematical Tripos at Cambridge as well as those that had been obtained by 72 candidates for civil service positions, Galton showed that these scores (and hence presumably the psychological characteristics underlying the scores) were distributed in much the same way as inheritable physical traits, that is to say, normally. While this similarity in the shape of the distribution of mental and physical characteristics did not in itself imply the inheritability of mental traits, it was consistent with Galton's claim. More importantly, it also allowed him to estimate the percentages of men that would be expected at each of a series of "levels" of mental ability ranging from the highest to the lowest. This, in turn, provided a standard against which the hypothesis of inheritability of mental ability could be evaluated.

Genres: Psychology, Science, Nonfiction, Genetics, Philosophy, Biology, History

Paperback

First published January 1, 1869

About the author

Sir Francis Galton, FRS was an English Victorian polymath: anthropologist, eugenicist, tropical explorer, geographer, inventor, meteorologist, proto-geneticist, psychometrician, and statistician. He was knighted in 1909.

Galton produced over 340 papers and books. He also created the statistical concept of correlation and widely promoted regression toward the mean. He was the first to apply statistical methods to the study of human differences and inheritance of intelligence, and introduced the use of questionnaires and surveys for collecting data on human communities, which he needed for genealogical and biographical works and for his anthropometric studies.

He was a pioneer in eugenics, coining the term itself and the phrase "nature versus nurture". His book Hereditary Genius (1869) was the first social scientific attempt to study genius and greatness.

As an investigator of the human mind, he founded psychometrics (the science of measuring mental faculties) and differential psychology and the lexical hypothesis of personality. He devised a method for classifying fingerprints that proved useful in forensic science. He also conducted research on the power of prayer, concluding it had none by its null effects on the longevity of those prayed for.

As the initiator of scientific meteorology, he devised the first weather map, proposed a theory of anticyclones, and was the first to establish a complete record of short-term climatic phenomena on a European scale. He also invented the Galton Whistle for testing differential hearing ability.

He was cousin of Douglas Strutt Galton and half-cousin of Charles Darwin.

Reviews

[Fred R · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't see that the eugenics movement moved much beyond this foundational document, either in politics or in scientific understanding, which is I suppose both a compliment to Galton and a judgment on his successors.

He should have said more about the nephews of Popes, which looked like the most promising piece of evidence in considering the basic nature/nurture issue.

I think implicitly it looks Galton wanted to turn humanity into a super-organism, like an ant-hill or bee hive. This might still be in the cards.

Also, I wanted to add that Galton displays what seems to me a sophisticated understanding of fitness landscapes and "evolution by jerks", even if only in a couple paragraphs near the end.

[Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

with this book Galton founded the field of behavioral genetics, popularized statistics, investigated the correlates of high achievement and gave birth to eugenics-- his version, of course, was non coercive and largely positive-- he proposed encouraging talented young men and women to have children earlier on in life and encouraging the less able to have fewer. A valuable book for anyone interested in the history of science, especially psychometrics, behavioral genetics, and statistics.

[Alberto · Rating 2 out of 5]

Monotony and pedantry, thy name is Galton.

Even more unforgivable, many of his conclusions are truly idiotic.

[Ngee Poo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not the easiest of reads, though perhaps presents groundbreaking ideas and thoughts of the author's time.

[Scott Holstad · Rating 2 out of 5]

As advertised. A glimpse into 19th century western European faux-scientific attempts to explain and justify racially superior genes and peoples along a pseudo-Darwinian tract of quasi-logic, notorious for finding a ready audience with early Nazi members, while it continues to influence those that have come along later. As I've often felt when reading and researching such texts, the logic/science rarely holds up under scrutiny, yet I'm not sure if that should always be my focus. Even if such rarely holds up, its influence among certain types has been and remains undeniable and that, I think, is of greater interest and importance to me in my research.

Recommended for researchers desirous of seeing race theory and so many allied ideologies make their way to the people and places that made use of their contents. Of course, of historical and research value. I place little credence in nearly anything, any platform, put forth by this text and those like it but it's still important to read source material just to know why and how you object to such material...

[Ireneusz Pyc · Rating 1 out of 5]

boring like a phone book;
it even resembles a phone book

[Brian Beckner · Rating 1 out of 5]

NO CONTENT- SCAM

Someone was looking to make money and created a book with no content. The book is a scam. Do not buy.

[Adrián P. C. · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐ OK/Good.