Now, think about this a moment...below, our "prominent scientist" not 
having enough basic philosophical clarity to realize the problem with 
"'Why on earth wouldn't it work for humans?'" is the word "work". 

And then to grab at the fig leaf "Race never entered my head." for 
cover, to me it is the epitome of willful ignorance. After all, isn't 
willful ignorance what we're really up against now? 

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(retort from Dawkins RE quote by Cohen 10/19/2020) 

"Richard Dawkins, one of Britain's most prominent scientists, added fuel 
to the fire by tweeting that although eugenics could be criticized on 
moral or ideological grounds, 'of course' it would 'work in practice.' 
Eugenics 'works for cows, horses, pigs, dogs & roses,' he said. 'Why on 
earth wouldn't it work for humans?'"

Cohen seems to think that to say something is possible is to advocate 
doing it. On the contrary, the recognition that eugenics is possible is 
a powerful reason not to do it.

Cohen is shooting the messenger. He might as well say, "It would be 
terrible if I had cancer, therefore my doctor is a bad doctor."

His slur against me is the more unfortunate given his context: Trump's 
lamentable pandering to the racism of his well-named "base." The 
eugenics I had in mind as possible but undesirable had no connection 
with race. Race never entered my head.

Richard Dawkins, Oxford, United Kingdom

The writer is a professor emeritus at the University of Oxford.