[r9etb]

In what way can a description of events in biological systems be "misused"?

A softball question, to be sure. I'm rather certain that you raised the applications in your own mind as you posted your question to me.

Eugenics is one such application -- the idea that one can apply the scientific principle of "survival of the fittest" to a "scientific" approach to improving the human animal by selective breeding.

One can also justify racism in its various forms by invoking the ideas.

Huxley's Brave New World suggests one manner in which it might occur; but of course, the Nazis were the ones who really tried it.

[RegulatorCountry]

"One can also justify racism in its various forms by invoking the ideas."

I'd only point to the countless threads posted to FR, with all the skull porn of which evos are so fond ... craniometrics are inevitably included. Quite the nasty, racist history behind measuring crania and attempting to deduce intelligence on that basis.

[Dimensio]

Eugenics is one such application -- the idea that one can apply the scientific principle of "survival of the fittest" to a "scientific" approach to improving the human animal by selective breeding.

The theory of evolution does not operate by "survival of the fittest". This is a misconception, and a poor one at that, as there is no single standard of "fitness". Evolution operates by "survival of adequate reproductive success".

One can also justify racism in its various forms by invoking the ideas.

How?