What term is used for the employment of hereditary principles to improve the human race?

The term that refers to the use of hereditary principles to enhance the genetic quality of the human population is eugenics. This concept emerged in the late 19th and early 20th centuries and involves selective breeding aimed at increasing desirable traits in a population. It is based on the belief that the human race can be improved genetically through interventions that influence reproduction.

Genetics, while it is the broader scientific study of genes, heredity, and genetic variation, does not specifically imply the improvement of the human race. Biodiversity refers to the variety of life in the world or in a particular habitat or ecosystem and does not pertain to human genetic enhancement. Evolution is the process through which species change over time due to natural selection and does not involve the deliberate application of hereditary principles by humans. Therefore, eugenics is the most appropriate term for the intentional use of hereditary knowledge to modify the human population.