[MANUSCRITS] Max NORDAU (1849-1923) Article... - Lot 225 - Goxe - Belaisch - Hôtel des ventes d'Enghien

[MANUSCRITS] Max NORDAU (1849-1923) Article ou discours sur l'eugénisme Manuscrit autographe en anglais sur ordonnances à son en-tête et datées de 1902 . 8 pp. Il y affirme que si l'eugénisme peut théoriquement avoir un intérêt : "Theoratically, everybody must hail Eugenics. It is fine and obviously desirable ideal to direct the evolution of the individual and the race towards the highest possible type of humnity. Practically, however, the matter is so obscure, complicate that it can only be aproached with hesitation and misgivings."" Nordau affirme que si le principe fonctionne pour améliorer les animaux, il en peut en être de même pour les hommes. "It is clear that we cannot apply the principles of artificial breeding to man. Which quality of his are we to develop by selection ? Of course, there is the ready answer : mens sana in corpore sana ? But this is so general and vague that it mean nothing when it comes to practical application. There is no recognised standart of physical and intellectual perfection..." Il lui semble donc préferable d'améliorer les conditions de vie de l'humanité : In one word : Eugenics, to be largely efficient, mut be considered not as a biological, but as an economical question.