[Taxacom] Race and taxonomy

[Pierre Deleporte]

This topic is a classic in discussions about 'race' and racism

1) biological race is almost anything you like to define, more or less  
like "species" or 'subspecies" but with even more fuzziness; the  
example of races of domestic animals shows that slight differences in  
color pattern or skeleton shape can serve as a basis for defining a  
more or less 'pure' lineage as a 'race'; and nobody objects to this -
natural 'races' are animal or plant populations you can distinguish on  
the basis of some biological characters, and I know of no universal  
rule for this...

2) the assertion that "there is just one human race" is simply  
confusing "species" and "race"; why not say "there is just one human  
species"?... (the interfecondability criterion being amply sufficient  
in this case)

3) my personal ethical analysis: the obvious existence of "races" =  
populational biological differences is in no way a reason in itself  
for supporting 'racism';  biological statements have no ethical  
dimension... the tentative charge against racism based on negating  
populational differences is counter-productive (too easy to  
ridiculize...)
in my view, non-racist people are supposed to be non-racist despite  
the existence of 'races' (of any kinds); they are "specifist", not  
racist, simply... (e.g. better save any human life than any animal one)

IMHO... and I wouldn't like to discuss beyond the topics of this list,  
I'm trying to stick to the biologial aspects of the question...

best,
Pierre




Quoting Richard Jensen <rjensen at saintmarys.edu>:

> Hi all,
>
> I have become involved in an interesting discussion on my campus.  One
> of our faculty proposed a new course that included, in its statement of
> intent, the following clause:  "...race has no biological basis."  I
> took exception to this on the grounds that race is a legitimate rank in
> the taxonomic hierarchy and can prove useful when dealing with
> variability within species, regardless of whether the species are
> plants, fungi, animals, or humans.
>
> I have always followed Ernst Mayr's lead when discussing the concept of
> race from a taxonomic perspective: "The typological concept of race is
> thoroughly odious; the statistically defined race of the botanist and
> zoologist is a fact of nature."
>
> So, my question to you is, Does race have any value as a taxonomic
> concept?  Or, should we, because of the abuse of the idea by people of
> all, dare I say, races, dispense with it altogether?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Dick J
>
> Richard Jensen, Professor
> Department of Biology
> Saint Mary’s College
> Notre Dame, IN 46556
> Tel: 574-284-4674
>
>
>
>
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>



-- 
Pierre Deleporte
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