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History of Human Genetics

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Human Genetics

Abstract

The history of human genetics is particularly interesting since, unlike in many other natural sciences, concepts of human genetics have often influenced social and political events. At the same time, the development of human genetics as a science has been influenced by various political forces. Human genetics because of its concern with the causes of human variability has found it difficult to either remain a pure science or one of strictly medical application. Current concerns regarding the heritability of IQ and the existence of inherited patterns of behavior again have brought the field into public view. A consideration of the history of human genetics with some attention to the interaction of the field with societal forces is therefore of interest. We will concentrate our attention on historical events of particular interest for human genetics and refer to landmarks in general genetics only insofar as they are essential for the understanding of the evolution of human genetics.

“Man is a history-making creature who can neither repeat his past nor leave it behind.”

W. H. Auden (From: D. H. Lawrence)

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institut für Humangenetik und Anthropologie, Im Neuenheimer Feld 328, 69120, Heidelberg, Germany

    Emeritus Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Friedrich Vogel

  2. Division of Medical Genetics, School of Medicine, University of Washington, 98195, Seattle, WA, USA

    Arno G. Motulsky M.D. (Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Genetics)

Authors
  1. Emeritus Professor Dr. Dr. h.c. Friedrich Vogel
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  2. Arno G. Motulsky M.D.
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© 1997 Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg

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Vogel, F., Motulsky, A.G. (1997). History of Human Genetics. In: Human Genetics. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03356-2_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-03356-2_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-662-03358-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-662-03356-2

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