Maiden Mother Matriarch with Louise Perry The Eugenics Debate - Diana Fleischman vs Lyman Stone | Maiden Mother Matriarch Episode 173
Nov 23, 2025
Diana Fleischman, an evolutionary psychologist, fiercely advocates for certain negative eugenic policies, suggesting state incentives for contraception among vulnerable populations. Lyman Stone, a demographic researcher, counters that such policies can be ethically problematic and argue for the status quo. They discuss the moral implications of reproductive rights, incest laws, and the complexities of genetic interventions, ultimately debating the balance between social benefits and ethical concerns in shaping reproductive policies.
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Eugenics Encompasses Diverse Policies
- Eugenics covers many policies beyond violent coercion, including 'positive' and 'negative' interventions that influence reproduction.
- Diana Fleischman argues many common laws (incest bans, cousin-marriage limits, carrier screening) fit a broad definition of eugenics.
German Incest Case Illustrates Avoidable Harm
- Diana recounts a German incest case where siblings produced severely disabled children as an example of avoidable harm.
- She argues sterilization incentives could have been offered but were avoided because of eugenics stigma.
Common Laws Act As Soft Eugenics
- Public policies like banning cousin marriage or subsidizing carrier screening operate as de facto negative eugenics in many places.
- Fleischman argues such soft interventions are widely accepted despite the term 'eugenics' being taboo.