syamsu writes:
That some people propose that the intricate relationship between Darwinism and Nazism can satisfactorily be described by a a baseballbat anology, is a lawyertrick to stop investigation of that relationship.
Maybe baseball isn't your bag. How about these two items...
1) TNT (dynamite). This was created with the intent of helping mankind, but has been used by every political-military system since its invention to blow their enemies to smithereens. There is certainly a connection between what it is, and what it is currently being used for by most governments, but it is not a necessary connection.
2) Nuclear Physics. This may be a better analogy. All this field of study does is describe the nature of the nuclear material of matter. Yet since it has stepped onto the world stage, Political-military systems have tried to use its tenets to create weapons greater than those based on dynamite to blow their enemies smithereens to smithereens.
Eugenics existed LONG before Darwin's theories came about. Political-military systems... much as they always crave greater weapons... have in many cases craved creating a better/stronger citizen (or warrior). The Spartans were a fantastic example of this. But you can pick just about any of them. From killing the deformed, to arranged marriages (for benefit of glorious offspring that would result), governments have been doing it forever.
In fact, all we are talking about is BREEDING. Humans have done this to animals for millenia and so it isn't surprising that early on they figured out they could do it to themselves. Are breeding manuals Nazi propaganda?
Darwin's theories were based in part on looking at breeding that we saw humans doing, and asking if nature could do the same thing. Thus he did not start the idea of Eugenics, he just wondered if nature shaped species in the same way man already had been doing (but without purposeful ends, as man has).
It is not surprising to see morons not understand what he is saying and using an observation as a mantra to action. Like moving from we can split atoms to generate energy, to Nature says we MUST split the atom to conquer our enemies!
You can certainly investigate Nazis that misused Darwin's theories, or evolutionist writers that were also eugenicists (or Nazis).
But to say there is a logical/necessary connection between making observations about nature's method of influencing speciation, and humans mandating human breeding programs is highly illogical... and contrary to historical evidence.
------------------
holmes