This brings us to the second wave of modern eugenics, which differs from the first wave, most notably, with respect to its methodology. Whereas first-wave eugenicists strove to improve the “human stock” by altering society-wide patterns of …Nicholas Agar, 1998. “Liberal eugenics,” Public Affairs Quarterly, volume 12, number 2, pp. 137–155.
Blaise Agüera y Arcas, 2022. “Do large language models understand us?” Daedalus, volume 151, number 2, pp. 183–197.
doi: https://doi.org/1…
Nicholas Agar
philosopher · 2 mentions across 1 reading
In this course
Nicholas Agar is a bioethicist known for developing the concept of "liberal eugenics," which distinguishes itself from historical eugenics by emphasizing individual reproductive choice rather than state coercion. His work appears in the readings to frame debates about genetic enhancement and the ethics of using technology to improve human traits—a concern that resurfaces in contemporary discussions of AI and algorithmic selection. Agar's framework helps the course examine how seemingly progressive, choice-based approaches to human modification might still carry eugenic logics into the age of machine learning and automated decision-making.
Mentioned in 1 reading
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