In general a key component of moral fashions seems to be the use of extreme social pressure to suppress dissent. Sadly this seems to be on the rise recently, especially on college campuses, and has even effected parts of the EA movement. Ironically, tolerating [what seem to many people] to be immoral beliefs, and debating them logically rather than stigmatizing and shunning their adherents seems to be the best strategy for avoiding genuine moral ‘fads’. Paul Graham has a great article from 2004 about the importance of thinking about the things you’re not socially allowed to say.
Somewhat unrelatedly, it seems not merely plausible but very likely that most EAs would have supported eugenics in the past. Perhaps they would not have supported the involuntary killing of adults as a component, but there are many types of eugenics which do not require this. Even today I think most EAs support the ability to abort babies for arbitrary reasons, including genetic problems.
In general a key component of moral fashions seems to be the use of extreme social pressure to suppress dissent. Sadly this seems to be on the rise recently, especially on college campuses, and has even effected parts of the EA movement. Ironically, tolerating [what seem to many people] to be immoral beliefs, and debating them logically rather than stigmatizing and shunning their adherents seems to be the best strategy for avoiding genuine moral ‘fads’. Paul Graham has a great article from 2004 about the importance of thinking about the things you’re not socially allowed to say.
Somewhat unrelatedly, it seems not merely plausible but very likely that most EAs would have supported eugenics in the past. Perhaps they would not have supported the involuntary killing of adults as a component, but there are many types of eugenics which do not require this. Even today I think most EAs support the ability to abort babies for arbitrary reasons, including genetic problems.