|
|
Re: Rushtonwilkr (wilkr@INDIANA.EDU)Wed, 19 Oct 1994 10:12:50 -0500
for sensetive and complex discussion of issues. One paper reports that "about" 50% of physical anthropologists find no scientific use for the term "race." Jared Diamond's article is especially strong, arguing that the genetic data, fed into numerical taxonomy programs, lumps together ALL non-Africans with some Africans, and distinguishes several taxonomic groups within Africa that have higher taxonomic status than any of the differences between non-Africans. In other words, if you are looking for races, there are three or four African groups, then one other that includes some Africans and everyone else. Loring Brace does a wonderful job explaining why race emerged in the age of discovery. People went from overland travel, where you find people changing gradually in appearance along clines, to ship travel, where you suddenly encounter someone who looks very different! Richard Wilk Anthropology Dept. 812-855-8162 (voice) Indiana University 812-855-4358 (fax) Bloomington, IN 47405
|