Shockley, William

Shockley, William

William Shockley (1910-1989) was an American physicist who won the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Shockley openly supported eugenics and wrote a considerable amount on the subject (Shockley, 1967; Shockley, 1972a; Shockley, 1972b; Shockley & Pearson, 1992). Shockley, like earlier eugenicists, was afraid that the quality of the human race was deteriorating (Shockley, 1967). He publicly stated that this supposed deterioration was due to the “disproportionate reproduction of the genetically disadvantaged” (Shockley, 1972b, p. 297). Shockley blamed this phenomenon on welfare programs and modern medicine, because they allowed for greater survival and reproduction (Shockley, 1967; Shockley, 1972b). Additionally, he warned that if action was not taken, genetically inferior individuals would become what he called “genetic slaves” because they would be so disadvantaged by their inherited traits (Shockley, 1972b, p. 303-4).

Shockley attempted to prove that certain races had superior intelligence compared to individuals with different backgrounds, especially those of African descent (Shockley, 1967; Shockley, 1972a; Shockley, 1972b). He was interested in discovering which differences between races were due to heredity and which were due to social forces, but was frustrated when no one would support such research (Shockley, 1972b). Shockley argued that if the so-called problems of African Americans were shown to be hereditary, taking measures to control their reproduction would reduce the racism that they would face (Shockley, 1967).

Shockley suggested a number of solutions for genetic deterioration. First, he argued that research had to be done to determine exactly what was determined by environment and what was determined by genetic makeup (Shockley, 1967). He also suggested that a “voluntary sterilization bonus plan” could be introduced, which would mean that individuals choosing to be sexually sterilized would be given cash for each genetic ‘deficiency’ they possessed (Shockley, 1972b).

Ultimately, Shockley’s racist and extreme claims led to his alienation from the academic community (Shurkin, 2006). He openly criticized society for failing to take his warnings seriously, and claimed that by refusing to undertake eugenic programs, society would be ignoring evidence and harming itself (Shockley, 1967).

-Natalie Ball

  • Shockley, W. (1967). A" try simplest cases" approach to the heredity-poverty-crime problem. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 57(6), 1767.

  • Shockley, W. (1972). A Debate Challenge: Geneticity Is 80% for White Identical Twins' IQ's. The Phi Delta Kappan, 53(7), 415-419.

  • Shockley, W. (1972). Dysgenics, Geneticity, Raceology: A Chalenge to the Intelectual Responsibility of Educators. The Phi Delta Kappan, 53(5), 297-307.

  • Shockley, W., & Pearson, R. (1992). Shockley on eugenics and race: The application of science to the solution of human problems. Washington, DC: Scott-Townsend Publishers.

  • Shurkin, J. N. (2006). Broken genius: the rise and fall of William Shockley, creator of the electronic age. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.

Shockley, William

William Shockley (1910-1989) was an American physicist who won the 1956 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Shockley openly supported eugenics and wrote a considerable amount on the subject (Shockley, 1967; Shockley, 1972a; Shockley, 1972b; Shockley & Pearson, 1992). Shockley, like earlier eugenicists, was afraid that the quality of the human race was deteriorating (Shockley, 1967). He publicly stated that this supposed deterioration was due to the “disproportionate reproduction of the genetically disadvantaged” (Shockley, 1972b, p. 297). Shockley blamed this phenomenon on welfare programs and modern medicine, because they allowed for greater survival and reproduction (Shockley, 1967; Shockley, 1972b). Additionally, he warned that if action was not taken, genetically inferior individuals would become what he called “genetic slaves” because they would be so disadvantaged by their inherited traits (Shockley, 1972b, p. 303-4).

Shockley attempted to prove that certain races had superior intelligence compared to individuals with different backgrounds, especially those of African descent (Shockley, 1967; Shockley, 1972a; Shockley, 1972b). He was interested in discovering which differences between races were due to heredity and which were due to social forces, but was frustrated when no one would support such research (Shockley, 1972b). Shockley argued that if the so-called problems of African Americans were shown to be hereditary, taking measures to control their reproduction would reduce the racism that they would face (Shockley, 1967).

Shockley suggested a number of solutions for genetic deterioration. First, he argued that research had to be done to determine exactly what was determined by environment and what was determined by genetic makeup (Shockley, 1967). He also suggested that a “voluntary sterilization bonus plan” could be introduced, which would mean that individuals choosing to be sexually sterilized would be given cash for each genetic ‘deficiency’ they possessed (Shockley, 1972b).

Ultimately, Shockley’s racist and extreme claims led to his alienation from the academic community (Shurkin, 2006). He openly criticized society for failing to take his warnings seriously, and claimed that by refusing to undertake eugenic programs, society would be ignoring evidence and harming itself (Shockley, 1967).

-Natalie Ball

  • Shockley, W. (1967). A" try simplest cases" approach to the heredity-poverty-crime problem. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 57(6), 1767.

  • Shockley, W. (1972). A Debate Challenge: Geneticity Is 80% for White Identical Twins' IQ's. The Phi Delta Kappan, 53(7), 415-419.

  • Shockley, W. (1972). Dysgenics, Geneticity, Raceology: A Chalenge to the Intelectual Responsibility of Educators. The Phi Delta Kappan, 53(5), 297-307.

  • Shockley, W., & Pearson, R. (1992). Shockley on eugenics and race: The application of science to the solution of human problems. Washington, DC: Scott-Townsend Publishers.

  • Shurkin, J. N. (2006). Broken genius: the rise and fall of William Shockley, creator of the electronic age. New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan.