[Mrs. Don-o]

I'll grant you Plato, of course, and even more ancient advocates of selective human breeding (of the superior) and racial extinction (of the inferior).

My point was that Darwin's opinions unquestionably carried more weight in the late-19th and 20th centuries than those of Plato, on the evidence of the eugenicists and Social Darwinists who admired him, cited his writings, and invoked his words to justify their policies.

Is he responsibile for the repugnant doctrines and still more repugnant practices of every one of his disciples? Of course not. But for better or for worse, he ranks with Marx and Freud as one of the most influential sources of inspiration for 20th century utopians who, convinced that they grasped the key to our history, struggled to control our destiny.

[Dracian]

for better or for worse, he ranks with Marx and Freud as one of the most influential sources of inspiration for 20th century utopians who, convinced that they grasped the key to our history, struggled to control our destiny.

Let's just assume that's correct. It still doesn't say one way or the other whether the theory of evolution is correct. And I think that's where Godwin's Law comes into play. People who link Hitler to Darwin usually do so to discredit the theory of evolution. But actually it's irrelevant.

[RunningWolf]

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