8/12/2019 Discuss the Anthropological Position on Race

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Discuss the anthropological position on race. What is race in terms of biology vs. in terms of culture?

The concept of race is absurd. I have always thought so. I tend to leave the check mark blank or

Ill check otherand write in human. Our book tells us that, biological anthropologists now conclude that

the concept of race does not apply usefully to humans, and I agree entirely with their conclusion.

Biological anthropologists have even suggested that the term raceshould not be used to describe

human biological differences. Our textbook describes several reasons for this. One reason is that theterm raceis so widely misunderstood and misused that it becomes misleading if used. It is often

confounded with racism, the idea that some of the physical characteristics of humanity should be defined

into separate groups based on superficial differences and valued within a culture according to one groups

delusions of superiority.

A second reason and perhaps the greatest is that there are no clearly classifiable groups within the

human population. Even if a scale for defining any one characteristic was agreed upon, than the value of

the characteristic would be meaningless in any type of biological relation to another characteristic. For

example, the only thing that every human within the group of skin shade 17 would have in common

would be that they all seem to have, on that particular day, a skin shade similar to the value agreed to be

17. They will live in different places, have different diets, education levels, survival instincts, cultural

characteristics, or any number of other valuable characteristics related to the study of humanity. Theexception perhaps being a skin type demographic for sun tanning products. Even if a shared trait such as

lactose intolerance or IQ could be found in the majority of a separate characteristic such as nose size or

skin color, it will never be unique to that one group. There is little to no competitive advantage found

within the varying traits of humanity. Our ability to get food, mate, reproduce, or live in groups (for the

most part) is unaltered by our differences.

The racistperspective that developed nations are white and the underdeveloped nations are

not is just what it describes- a matter of perspective. Humanity developed in groups spread out around

the globe and each group developed according to the limitations of its culture. Some promoted growth,

some technology, some worked out new ways to murder each other. When they started to explore and

meet each other, some groups were understandably ahead of others. At some point the decision was made

that if the other groups seemed different it must be due to any obvious physical differences and thereformeant to be conquered, reformed, enslaved, infected with disease, feared entirely, or made to things the

other groups dont particularly want to do anymore. This perspective still persists in one form or another

in modern society. However, due to the blending of these traits and the evolution of society, modern

cultures tend to group humanity in terms of birth location, family history, net financial worth, education

level, known associations, religious beliefs, hobbies, sexual preferences, current residence, personal

beliefs, as well as any physical differences that may stand out from any evident majority.

This much broader perspective is in a way a racist perspective; a perspective that different is

either superior or inferior. It has no scientific grounds and is perhaps just the product of prejudice.

Humanity has genetic differences as do most species on the planet. For some unknown reason, we seem

to be one of the few that find that important.