--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We greatly want a brief word to express…" description: "\"We greatly want a brief word to express the science of improving stock, which is by no means confined to questions of judicious mating, but which, espe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c4/francis-galton-20376_blood_we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express_1272637.jpg" --- # We greatly want a brief word to express the science of… ![“We greatly want a brief word to express the science of improving stock, which is by no means confined to questions of judicious mating, but which, especially in the case of man, takes cognizance of all influences that tend in however remote a degree to give to the more suitable races or strains of…” quote by Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c4/francis-galton-20376_blood_we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express_1272637.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c4/francis-galton-20376_blood_we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express_1272637.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c4/francis-galton-20376_blood_we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express_1272637.jpg) > “We greatly want a brief word to express the science of improving stock, which is by no means confined to questions of judicious mating, but which, especially in the case of man, takes cognizance of all influences that tend in however remote a degree to give to the more suitable races or strains of blood a better chance of prevailing speedily over the less suitable than they otherwise would have had. The word eugenics would sufficiently express the idea.” [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The term “eugenics” was coined to describe the scientific study of improving human traits by considering all influencing factors, not just selective breeding. **In simple terms:** Eugenics means improving human traits scientifically. Key Takeaway Study all influences to enhance human traits. Themes science ethics human improvement Mood analytical cautious Type historical philosophical When to use this quote - public policy debates - medical research - education reform - ethical review boards Key Concepts genetics social engineering population health Questions to Reflect On - What criteria should guide trait improvement? - How to balance scientific goals with moral values? A Different Perspective Ethical concerns about defining “better” traits. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Blood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blood/) [Breeding](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/breeding/) [Cases](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cases/) [Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/chance/) [Confined](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/confined/) [Degrees](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degrees/) [Eugenics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eugenics/) [Eugenics Sufficiently](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/eugenics-sufficiently-4084812/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Improving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improving/) [Improving Stock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/improving-stock-4084813/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Investing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/investing/) [Mating](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mating/) [Mean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mean/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Prevailing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prevailing/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Science Improving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science-improving-1323278/) [Strain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/strain/) [Suitable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suitable/) [Want](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/want/) [Word Eugenics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/word-eugenics-4084811/) ## Related quotes > [As ideas are preserved and communicated by means of words, it necessarily follows that we cannot improve the language of any science, without at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antoine-lavoisier/as-ideas-are-preserved-and-communicated-by-means-of-words-it/) [Antoine Lavoisier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antoine-lavoisier/) > [We have to overthrow the idea that it's a diversion from 'real' work when scientists conduct high-quality research in the open. Publicly funded science…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-nielsen/we-have-to-overthrow-the-idea-that-it-s-a-diversion-from-real-work/) [Michael Nielsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-nielsen/) > [“The year 2100 will see eugenics universally established. In past ages, the law governing the survival of the fittest roughly weeded out the less…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nikola-tesla/the-year-2100-will-see-eugenics-universally-established-in-past-ages-2/) [Nikola Tesla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nikola-tesla/) > [Eugenics is the study of the agencies under social control that may improve or impair the racial qualities of future generations either physically or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/eugenics-is-the-study-of-the-agencies-under-social-control-that-may/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [The aim of eugenics is to represent each class or sect by its best specimens; that done, to leave them to work out their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/the-aim-of-eugenics-is-to-represent-each-class-or-sect-by-its-best/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [What nature does blindly, slowly and ruthlessly, man may do providently, quickly, and kindly. As it lies within his power, so it becomes his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/what-nature-does-blindly-slowly-and-ruthlessly-man-may-do-providently/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [An old paleontological in joke proclaims that mammalian evolution is a tale told by teeth mating to produce slightly altered descendant teeth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-jay-gould/an-old-paleontological-in-joke-proclaims-that-mammalian-evolution-is/) [Stephen Jay Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-jay-gould/) > [Stieglitz conceived, though he never carried out, a series of photographs of the heads of stallions and mares, of bulls and cows, in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-mumford/stieglitz-conceived-though-he-never-carried-out-a-series-of/) [Lewis Mumford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-mumford/) > [The Mackenzie had never met folk so poor in story and song and legends, and it moved him to a pity that pricked at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/s-m-stirling/the-mackenzie-had-never-met-folk-so-poor-in-story-and-song-and/) [S.M. Stirling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/s-m-stirling/) > [Why do we shave? It doesn't seem like a natural activity. There are no examples of shaving in nature. The only creature that comes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-barry/why-do-we-shave-it-doesn-t-seem-like-a-natural-activity-there-are-no/) [Dave Barry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-barry/) > [“It’s normal.” Doc grinned. “The mating ritual of all animals. The males fight for dominance over their females. Human males have lost the fight…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lora-leigh/it-s-normal-doc-grinned-the-mating-ritual-of-all-animals-the-males/) [Lora Leigh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lora-leigh/) > [After giving a student the basic mating patterns and strategies you must begin giving them advanced concepts. At first these ideas will not make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeremy-silman/after-giving-a-student-the-basic-mating-patterns-and-strategies-you/) [Jeremy Silman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeremy-silman/) > [I couldn't be more chuffed if I were a badger at the start of the mating season!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-holloway/i-couldn-t-be-more-chuffed-if-i-were-a-badger-at-the-start-of-the/) [Ian Holloway](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-holloway/) > [A thorough understanding of the typical mating continuations makes the most complicated sacrificial combinations leading up to them not only not difficult, but almost…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/siegbert-tarrasch/a-thorough-understanding-of-the-typical-mating-continuations-makes/) [Siegbert Tarrasch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/siegbert-tarrasch/) > [“Marriage," "mating," and "love" are socially constructed phenomena that have little or no transferable meaning outside any given culture. The examples we've noted of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-ryan/marriage-mating-and-love-are-socially-constructed-phenomena-that-have/) [Christopher Ryan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-ryan/) ## More by Francis Galton > [The cat is the only non-gregarious domestic animal. It is retained by its extra-ordinary adhesion to the comforts of the house in which it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/the-cat-is-the-only-non-gregarious-domestic-animal-it-is-retained-by/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [The publication in 1859 of the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin made a marked epoch in my own mental development, as it did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/the-publication-in-1859-of-the-origin-of-species-by-charles-darwin/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [What nature does blindly, slowly and ruthlessly, man may do providently, quickly, and kindly. As it lies within his power, so it becomes his…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/what-nature-does-blindly-slowly-and-ruthlessly-man-may-do-providently/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [A really intelligent nation might be held together by far stronger forces than are derived from the purely gregarious instincts. A nation need not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/a-really-intelligent-nation-might-be-held-together-by-far-stronger/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [“Poor humanity! I often feel that the tableland of sanity upon which most of us dwell, is small in area, with unfenced precipices on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/poor-humanity-i-often-feel-that-the-tableland-of-sanity-upon-which/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [Characteristics cling to families.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/characteristics-cling-to-families/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [Exercising the right of occasional suppression and slight modification, it is truly absurd to see how plastic a limited number of observations become, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/exercising-the-right-of-occasional-suppression-and-slight/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [Well-washed and well-combed domestic pets grow dull; they miss the stimulus of fleas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/well-washed-and-well-combed-domestic-pets-grow-dull-they-miss-the/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [Englishmen Francis Galton to describe the "science" of bettering human stock and the elimination of unwanted characteristics... and individuals. Galton proposed societal intervention for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/englishmen-francis-galton-to-describe-the-science-of-bettering-human/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [ \[Statistics are\] the only tools by which an opening can be cut through the formidable thicket of difficulties that bars the path of those… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/statistics-are-the-only-tools-by-which-an-opening-can-be-cut-through/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [The conditions that direct the order of . . . the living world . . . are marked by their persistence in improving the birthright of successive generations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/the-conditions-that-direct-the-order-of-the-living-world-are-marked/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [Whenever you can, count.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/whenever-you-can-count/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [It is always the case with the best work, that it is misrepresented, and disparaged at first, for it takes a curiously long time…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/it-is-always-the-case-with-the-best-work-that-it-is-misrepresented/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [The inferiority of photographs to the best works of artists, so far as resemblance is concerned, lies in their catching no more than a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/the-inferiority-of-photographs-to-the-best-works-of-artists-so-far-as/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) > [Life is a republic where the individuals are for the most part unconscious that while they are working for themselves they are also working…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/life-is-a-republic-where-the-individuals-are-for-the-most-part/) [Francis Galton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) [Explore all 31 Francis Galton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/) ## More Blood quotes > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [Ye youths and virgins, when your generous blood Has drunk the warmth of fifteen summers, now The loves invite; now to new rapture wakes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-armstrong/ye-youths-and-virgins-when-your-generous-blood-has-drunk-the-warmth/) [John Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-armstrong/) > [In literature and art memory is a synonym for invention. It is the life-blood of imagination, which faints and dies when the veins are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-aris-willmott/in-literature-and-art-memory-is-a-synonym-for-invention-it-is-the/) [Robert Aris Willmott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-aris-willmott/) > [Don't trust everyone, because one day you will shed tears of blood.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sunshine/don-t-trust-everyone-because-one-day-you-will-shed-tears-of-blood/) [SunShine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sunshine/) > [I have no intention of retiring. Even my blood sugar is better when I'm working.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-stritch/i-have-no-intention-of-retiring-even-my-blood-sugar-is-better-when-i/) [Elaine Stritch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-stritch/) > [What about you three, where are you going?" Even before Halt answered, Will knew what he was going to say. But that didn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-flanagan/what-about-you-three-where-are-you-going-even-before-halt-answered/) [John Flanagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-flanagan/) > [A day without blood is like a day without sunshine!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-lee-ermey/a-day-without-blood-is-like-a-day-without-sunshine/) [R. Lee Ermey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-lee-ermey/) > [Time hath not yet so dried this blood of mine, Nor age so eat up my invention, Nor fortune made such havoc of my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/time-hath-not-yet-so-dried-this-blood-of-mine-nor-age-so-eat-up-my/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [“...I wore his blood for clothing, on my legs and thighs and hands: a dry, stiff, brown garment with no warmth in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ursula-k-le-guin/i-wore-his-blood-for-clothing-on-my-legs-and-thighs-and-hands-a-dry/) [Ursula K. Le Guin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ursula-k-le-guin/) > [ T\]he church is not a place. It's not a building. It's not a preaching point. It's not a spiritual service provider. It's a people… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-dever/t-he-church-is-not-a-place-it-s-not-a-building-it-s-not-a-preaching/) [Mark Dever](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-dever/) > [I don't think you should ever say, 'This is the last time'. Music isn't like that. You'll be sitting there not wishing to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-daltrey/i-don-t-think-you-should-ever-say-this-is-the-last-time-music-isn-t/) [Roger Daltrey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-daltrey/) > [In this choice of inheritance we have given to our frame of polity the image of a relation in blood; binding up the constitution…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edmund-burke/in-this-choice-of-inheritance-we-have-given-to-our-frame-of-polity/) [Edmund Burke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edmund-burke/) > [I think cricket is there in Usain Bolt's blood. Since I got to watch from close quarters, it was amazing to see him run…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harbhajan-singh/i-think-cricket-is-there-in-usain-bolt-s-blood-since-i-got-to-watch/) [Harbhajan Singh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harbhajan-singh/) > [Holy shadows of the dead, I'm not to blame for your cruel and bitter fate, but the accursed rivalry which brought sister nations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-the-great/holy-shadows-of-the-dead-i-m-not-to-blame-for-your-cruel-and-bitter/) [Alexander the Great](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-the-great/) > [“The sun had burned through and the day had gone from dull to dazzling, yet in the west blask-satin thunderheads continued to stack up.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/the-sun-had-burned-through-and-the-day-had-gone-from-dull-to-dazzling/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) [Browse all 6,234 Blood quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/blood/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "We greatly want a brief word to express the science of improving stock, which is by no means confined to questions of judicious mating, but which, especially in the case of man, takes cognizance of all influences that tend in however remote a degree to give to the more suitable races or strains of blood a better chance of prevailing speedily over the less suitable than they otherwise would have had. The word eugenics would sufficiently express the idea.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Francis Galton" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express-the-science-of-improving/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Blood" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express-the-science-of-improving/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c4/francis-galton-20376_blood_we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express_1272637.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c4/francis-galton-20376_blood_we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express_1272637.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/3c4/francis-galton-20376_blood_we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express_1272637.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We greatly want a brief word to express the science of improving stock, which is by no means confined to…” — Francis Galton", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Francis Galton", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/francis-galton/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "We greatly want a brief word...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express-the-science-of-improving/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/francis-galton/we-greatly-want-a-brief-word-to-express-the-science-of-improving/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```