Pascal Day Will Address the Eugenics Movement and Misanthropic Philanthropy

William A. Schambra, director and senior fellow of the Hudson Institute’s Bradley Center for Philanthropy and Civic Renewal, will discuss the eugenics movement and misanthropic philanthropy at Pascal Day on Wednesday, Oct. 24, at 7:30 p.m. in the Africa Room. The event is free and open to the public.

“The eugenics movement, which sought to encourage the breeding of better human beings and discourage the reproduction of those it regarded as defective, was a highly popular progressive cause in its day,” said Dr. Charles Rubin, associate professor of political science, who coordinated the event. “Schambra’s work investigates how the movement was funded—indeed, really made possible—by the support of major American foundations, not all of which have owned up to their responsibility for this dark chapter in American history.”

Rubin noted that Schambra, as one of the nation’s experts on private philanthropy, is also interested in thinking about the model of charity that made it seem like a good idea to support eugenics. “This question is a crucial one, as progress in science and technology seem to be giving us powers to redesign ourselves that even the most ardent eugenicist could hardly have imagined,” Rubin said.

Schambra has written extensively on the Constitution, the theory and practice of civic revitalization and civil society in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Times, Policy Review, Christian Science Monitor, Nonprofit Quarterly, Philanthropy, The Chronicle of Philanthropy and Crisis. He is the editor of several volumes, including As Far as Republican Principles Will Admit: Collected Essays of Martin Diamond.

Pascal Day—an exploration of science, philosophy and faith—is an annual lecture series named for Blaise Pascal, a 17th century French scientist and mathematician. Pascal’s later writings on Christianity reveal a thinker whose faith deepened and grew stronger as the intricacy of creation’s workings became known to him through science.

For more information, call 412.396.6485.