Investigating human diversity in the twenty-first century
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.2478/anre-2020-0024Keywords:
human differences, race, genetic variation, ancestral populationsAbstract
In recent years, there has been renewed academic and public debate on the topic of race. The present essay compares two books dealing with this subject. Charles Murray’s Human Diversity states that the social sciences are permeated by a rigid orthodoxy that puts unnecessary strain on researchers working on sex differences, race differences, and individual differences. Far from being scary, Murray argues, these differences are interesting and can be lived with. Adam Rutherford’s How to Argue With a Racist examines various claims with respect to race. It includes four sections dedicated, respectively, to skin color, ancestry, sport, and intelligence. The essay assesses the authors’ factual claims as well as their tone, their general mindset, and their personal attitude toward science.
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