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possesses biologically "superior" characteristics, as Darwin main-
tained, then his daughter will possess those same superior features.

But Darwin and his contemporaries knew so little about genetics
that Darwin was even able to suggest that "the characteristics of a
species acquired by sexual selection are usually confined to one
sex." 157 Darwin also made ignorant suggestions to the effect that
such superior qualities as genius, the higher powers of imagination
and reason are "transmitted more fully to the male than the female
offspring." 158

Darwin's theses were based not on science,
but on the culture and primitive scientific
understanding of the Victorian age.