Hereditary Genius: an Inquiry Into Its Laws and Consequences

by Sir Francis Galton (Creator)

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

156 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1869

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.

[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...

[Ngee Poo · Rating 2 out of 5]

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

[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.