Animal Quote by Thomas Malthus
“It does not, however, seem impossible that by an attention to breed, a certain degree of improvement, similar to that among animals, might take place among men. Whether intellect could be communicated may be a matter of doubt: but size, strength, beauty, complexion, and perhaps even longevity are in a degree transmissible... As the human race could not be improved in this way, without condemning all the bad specimens to celibacy, it is not probable, that an attention to breed should ever become general.”
About This Quote
Source Book: An Essay on the Principle of Population, 1798
Malthus suggests selective breeding could improve humans, but ethical issues make it unlikely.
In simple terms: Selective breeding might improve humans, but raises moral problems.
Key Takeaway
Consider ethical limits of genetic selection.
Themes
ethics
human improvement
eugenics
Mood
thoughtful
concerned
Type
philosophical
ethical
When to use this quote
- public health policy
- education reform
- family planning
- bioethics debates
Key Concepts
biology
social policy
genetics
Questions to Reflect On
- Is it right to prioritize certain traits?
- What defines “good” specimens?
A Different Perspective
Improvement may conflict with individual rights and diversity.
![“[P]opulation, when unchecked, goes on doubling itself every twenty-five years, or increases in a geometrical ratio. ... [T]he means of subsistence, under circumstances the most favorable to human industry, could not possibly be made to increase faster than in an arithmetical ratio.” quote by Thomas Malthus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/16b/thomas-malthus-7621_circumstances_p-opulation-when-unchecked-goes-on-doubl_324443.jpg)
