The theory of eugenics has changed over time, from its conception by Sir Francis Galton to its modern technological interpretation in the 21st century. The term has been embraced by social Darwinists, progressives, human genetic engineers, and Nazis, to name a few. The theory's popularity has undergone cycles of approval and upheaval as it is a fairly fluid idea conceptually. Today its definition is still confusing, with both sides of its controversial spectrum debating what it actually means. Is it the immoral practice used by the Nazis or the promise of a better future for the human race? It is necessary to investigate its presence throughout history, as well as examine its context in modern society to fully understand the concept of eugenics. The term eugenics comes from the Greek words eu, meaning good or pleasant, and gennos, meaning birth. Conceptually, the term is somewhat convoluted due to inputs from different ideological disciplines. Some believe that the entire term itself should be ignored as racist pseudoscience, while others believe that it is a term weapon of dual positive and negative nature, perhaps double-edged. Some use the term to define the Nazis' past practices; others have adopted the popularized term to now mean modern human genetic research. Eugenics can also be separated into a branch of social philosophy or current and ongoing research into contemporary human genetics and its future implementation. The Early History of Eugenics Sir Francis Galton first coined the term eugenics to mean something similar to his cousin Charles Darwin's Theory of Eugenics Evolution. Galton believed that humans could be bred similarly to animals, for better intelligence, beauty, and talent, while non-wan...... middle of paper ......32DD9A1FABBBAAA1CCA8B1851D2284914E0B21&s=18976307&ut=2274&pg= 1&r=img&c=-1&pat= nPaul, D. B. (1992). Eugenic anxieties, social realities and political choices. Social research., 59(3), 663-683. Retrieved from http://encore.utep.edu:50080/ebsco-web/ehost/detail?sid=6ad4d9b8-df98-4d1e-b060-60d6028905e3@sessionmgr112&vid=1&hid=119&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZSZzY29wZ Rl.Powell, R. (2012) . The evolutionary biological implications of human genetic engineering. Journal of Medicine and Philosophy., 37(3), 204-225. doi: 10.1093/jmp/jhq004Smith, A. (May 21, 2013). The history of our immigration law: unapologetic racism. 1-800-Politics, Retrieved from http://www.1800politics.com/the-history-of-immigration-law-unapologetic-racism/Wikler, D. (1999). Can we learn from eugenics? Journal of Medical Ethics, 25(2), 183-194. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/27718281