THE SOCIAL DIRECTION
OF HUMAN EVOLUTION

THE SOCIAL DIRECTION
OF HUMAN EVOLUTION

AN OUTLINE OF THE SCIENCE OF
EUGENICS

BY
WILLIAM E. KELLICOTT

PROFESSOR OF BIOLOGY, GOUCHER COLLEGE

NEW YORK AND LONDON
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY
1919

Copyright, 1911, by
D. APPLETON AND COMPANY

Printed in the United States of America

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PREFACE

This small volume is based upon three lectureson Eugenics delivered at Oberlin Collegein April, 1910. In preparing them for publicationmany extensions and a few additionshave been made in order to present the subjectmore adequately and to include some very recentresults of eugenic investigation.

Few subjects have come into deserved prominencemore rapidly than has Eugenics. Biologists,social workers, thoughtful students andobservers of human life everywhere, have feltthe growing necessity for some kind of actionleading to what are now recognized as eugenicends. Hitherto the lack of guiding principleshas left us in the dark as to where to take holdand what methods to pursue. To-day, however,progress in the human phases of biologicalscience clearly gives us clews regarding modes[Pg vi]of attack upon many of the fundamental problemsof human life and social improvement andprogress, and suggests concrete methods ofwork.

The present essay does not represent anoriginal contribution to the subject of Eugenics.It is not a complete statement of the facts andfoundations of Eugenics in any particular. Itis rather an attempt to state briefly and suggestively,in simple, matter-of-fact terms thepresent status of this science. While Eugenicsis a social topic in practice, in its fundamentals,in its theory, it is biological. It is thereforenecessary that the subject be approached primarilyfrom the biological point of view andwith some familiarity with biological methodsand results. The control of human evolution—physical,mental, moral—is a serious subject ofsupremest importance and gravest consequents.It must be considered without excitement—thoughtfully,not emotionally.

It is hardly necessary to add that no one canspeak of the subject of Eugenics without feelingthe immensity of his debt to Sir FrancisGalton and to Professor Karl Pearson. From[Pg vii]the writings of these pioneers I have drawnheavily in this essay. The recent summary ofthe Whethams, and Davenport's valuable essayon Eugenics have also served as the sources ofquotation.

W. E. K.

Baltimore, Md., November, 1910.

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CONTENTS