Lederberg, Joshua

Lederberg, Joshua

Joshua Lederberg (1925-2008) was an American biologist. He won the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work with genetic recombination.

Lederberg was enthusiastic about new scientific techniques to achieve eugenic goals (Lappe, 1972; Lederberg, 1963). He suggested cloning and genetic engineering to improve humans (Lappe, 1972; Lederberg, 1963). Lederberg recognized that ‘eugenics’ had become a negatively viewed term, but he still believed that the goal of eugenics—to improve man’s genetic qualities—was important. He was also concerned about the effectiveness of eugenic interventions because it would take multiple generations to see any significant difference (Pfeiffer, 1964).

Lederberg argued that society’s ideas around eugenics needed to shift (Lederberg, 1963). Therefore, he came up with a new term and concept: euphenics. Where eugenics was meant to work on a population level, euphenics meant improving traits on an individual level through genetic manipulation (Lederberg, 1963; Lederberg, 1966). He expected that euphenics would be more effective than traditional eugenic practices like sexual sterilization, but he intended for the goals to be the same.

Lederberg encouraged all euphenic practices to be carefully considered in societal context—how accepting society would be of euphenic practices, what alternatives were available to help those with genetic disorders and what the long-term consequences of genetic engineering might be (Lederberg, 1966). He encouraged eugenic goals, but wanted to ensure that euphenics would not cause harm in the way that eugenics had with mass sexual sterilization and killing of so-called ‘defectives’ (Lederberg, 1963; Lederberg, 1966). Lederberg seemed to believe that euphenics would fit in with the overall practice of medicine and with helping individuals to lead healthy lives.

-Natalie Ball

  • Lappe, M. (1972). Moral obligations and the fallacies of genetic control.Theological Studies, 33(3), 411-427.

  • Lederberg, J. (1963). Molecular biology, eugenics and euphenics. Nature, 198(4879), 428-429.

  • Lederberg, J. (1966). Experimental genetics and human evolution. The American Naturalist, 100(915), 519-531.

Lederberg, Joshua

Joshua Lederberg (1925-2008) was an American biologist. He won the 1958 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine for his work with genetic recombination.

Lederberg was enthusiastic about new scientific techniques to achieve eugenic goals (Lappe, 1972; Lederberg, 1963). He suggested cloning and genetic engineering to improve humans (Lappe, 1972; Lederberg, 1963). Lederberg recognized that ‘eugenics’ had become a negatively viewed term, but he still believed that the goal of eugenics—to improve man’s genetic qualities—was important. He was also concerned about the effectiveness of eugenic interventions because it would take multiple generations to see any significant difference (Pfeiffer, 1964).

Lederberg argued that society’s ideas around eugenics needed to shift (Lederberg, 1963). Therefore, he came up with a new term and concept: euphenics. Where eugenics was meant to work on a population level, euphenics meant improving traits on an individual level through genetic manipulation (Lederberg, 1963; Lederberg, 1966). He expected that euphenics would be more effective than traditional eugenic practices like sexual sterilization, but he intended for the goals to be the same.

Lederberg encouraged all euphenic practices to be carefully considered in societal context—how accepting society would be of euphenic practices, what alternatives were available to help those with genetic disorders and what the long-term consequences of genetic engineering might be (Lederberg, 1966). He encouraged eugenic goals, but wanted to ensure that euphenics would not cause harm in the way that eugenics had with mass sexual sterilization and killing of so-called ‘defectives’ (Lederberg, 1963; Lederberg, 1966). Lederberg seemed to believe that euphenics would fit in with the overall practice of medicine and with helping individuals to lead healthy lives.

-Natalie Ball

  • Lappe, M. (1972). Moral obligations and the fallacies of genetic control.Theological Studies, 33(3), 411-427.

  • Lederberg, J. (1963). Molecular biology, eugenics and euphenics. Nature, 198(4879), 428-429.

  • Lederberg, J. (1966). Experimental genetics and human evolution. The American Naturalist, 100(915), 519-531.