# Do we have a say \[in our own evolution\]?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-have-a-say-in-our-own-evolution/314872>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [July 30, 2005, 9:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-have-a-say-in-our-own-evolution/314872 "2005-07-30T09:35:16Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 2

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\
**Post date:** [August 1, 2005, 11:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-have-a-say-in-our-own-evolution/314872/21 "2005-08-01T11:34:15Z")

</div>

So the question is if we _should_ try to influence the course of evolution? (Rather than if society and technology has done so without meaning to.)

Many have tried and proposed such, that’s what [eugenics](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics) is all about. Deciding what are “desirable” genetic types and encouraging their successful survival and/or reproduction contrasted to those “undesirables” and discouraging their survival and/or reproduction. Most of us think of such efforts as minimally misguided, if not evil.

[Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-we-have-a-say-in-our-own-evolution/314872.md?page=1)