Evolution & Racism?

Question

If you believe we evolved, then why do you think the different races of manking have evolved exactly the same? It would only make sence that along with the major physical appearences, that there are internal appearences in evolutionary differences, such as inteligence, emotional, and overall brain capacity. Evolving on different continents, literally REQUIRING a different capacity of the brain.

Those who believe in a devine creator (like myself) know that all mankind was created in gods image, and therefore contains the same spiuritual energy, and same capacity despite the physical appearence.

HOw can you believe in evolution, but say you feel one race is not physically more capable than the next?

"Most anyone with any degree of education knows that racial differences in human are slight, and never in characteristics such as intelligence or "brain capacity""

This makes no sence! Minor differences in nerves or brain seem much more likely than drastic physical differences. It is atleast ALL tied together. Saying one thing can be different, but the other not seems Illogical!

Seems to me your answer is being limited by your POlitical Correctness!

Answer 1

Common ancestor.

Pure and simple.

Mitochondrial RNA confirms that the entire human race is genetically tied to a single hominid female, who (if memory serves) grew up somewhere near the Olduvai Gorge in Africa.

All the hundreds of breeds of dogs we have today came from a single species of wolf that was domesticated roughly 1,000 years before the Old Testament says the Universe was created.

It's not unreasonable to think we'd find similar diversity in a species (i.e.; humanity) that's been around for 100 times as long.

Answer 2

That's simple: because their are no sub-species within the human race. That's been genetically established in the early 1970's when the human genome was first studied.

The difference between the different nations aren't that major: no more than the difference between Scarlet macaws of South America and Blue Macaw from South America.

There was IQ testing of human groups across the globe during the 60's to prove that black people or women were less intelligent: those tests only revealed that there was no notable differences.

Humans are a young species (about 100 000 years) and it takes millions of years to evolve. Whoever would try to sustain racism with a scientific approach would be ridiculed publicly.

You don't have to believe in God to believe in morality or justice, by the way...

Answer 3

We did not evolve on separate continents... homo sapiens (us) actually all evolved in Africa, after which we migrated to different areas and underwent small changes. The small changes that took place after humans evolved are dwarfed by the fact that we are all the same species. There is no problem with having variations in traits within a species.... the fact that we all have common ancestors in Africa is what makes us so similar and makes us all the same species.

Evolution is a scientific theory about long term changes in life forms, it carries no moral implications one way or another and cannot be used to justify racism. The finding that traits like intelligence, creativity, etc., are statistically the same for various races DOES provide a scientific basis to reject racism (as if a moral basis is not enough)!

Answer 4

Different races have different capabilities to survive/ways of learning. Africans are more prone to sickle cell anemia because it is the lesser of two evils, the other evil being malaria (which is rampant in Africa. Kids miss school for malaria just like kids in the states miss school for the flu). People belonging to tribes in Kenya have a better capability of running than Europeans because of how much running their ancestors did for hundreds and thousands of years. A European can still become a speedy, long distance runner, but it would be a heck of a lot more work than for someone of Kenyan background. Natives living in the Andes have a larger lung capacity than people who have lived at sea level all their lives. It doesn't mean a Floridian can't climb a mountain in the Andes, it just means the Andean native would likely have an easier time.
Recognizing that there are differences in people of different climates and lifestyles is not racist.

Answer 5

Most anyone with any degree of education knows that racial differences in human are slight, and never in characteristics such as intelligence or "brain capacity" (by which I'm assuming is meant cognitive abilities).
I have noticed some correlation between intelligence & blind devotion to a certain type of religious belief. You'll spot it in this group's frequent misspellings, bad grammar, weird questions, bizarre theories, and tendency to deny certain established scientific principles, such as evolution.
Do you have a difficult time accepting physics? Chemistry? Algebra? Evolution is in that category, also. God doesn't fit into a laboratory.

Answer 6

This line of reasoning does not make sense. Every human being has just as much need for intelligence as any other, no matter where they are located. Survival requires the same amount of thought no matter where you are in the world.

You are confusing evolution with adaptation. A species evolves together. Animals adapt to their environment geographically. Humans have changed somewhat in form based upon their geographic location.

The differences in people come from the amount of exposure to the Sun and to desert conditions. Most people in the southern most parts of the globe have darker skin which protects them from being over exposed to the Sun.

People who live in desert conditions tend to have wider but less protruding noses. This keeps more of the blowing sand out of their nostrils.

Evolution has greatly changed people, in that we have become better suited to our individual environments. Aristotle and Plato actually had more of the knowledge we consider to be modern than we give them credit for. So, while we think we are so much smarter, we really are just enjoying more accumulated knowledge.

Take care,
Troy

Answer 7

No, you're very much mistaken. human physical differences are not very major and variation among a subgroup of humans is actually greater than variation between groups. No intelligence difference is required for different continents. Brain to body size is essentially the same in all humans. Adaptations are environmentally specific.

Answer 8

The reason that the races tend to be equal is ebacuse we have not been divided long enough for us to evolve enough differences....evolution takes thousands upon thousands of years and the races were not seperated long enough for us to grow apart

Now we inter-marry and inter-breed which is bringing the races closer into one race of the species.

Short answer is not enough time has elapsed for evolution to alter the races enough to diverge.

Also the different enviornments did NOT required different brain capacities.

Answer 9

Apart from minor differences in physical appearence, we are all homo sapiens sapiens species. Differences in culture and minor adaptation to local climate and environment creates very minor results in differences between humans.

We are all able to function pretty much the same between different races.

I don't see why existance or non-existance of god will make any difference. As far as I'm concerned, I exist, and that's good enough for me.

"Cogito ergo sum" - "I think, therefore, I am." - Descartes

Answer 10

Regardless of race, we are all the same specie.

That said, it is a fact that people with more melatonin in their skin (Black people, for example) are not as susceptible to skin cancer. We have lots of lovely differences: tall people have some advantages over the short. Those with family history of high cholesterol have disadvantages... etc. etc. Races could easily be divided into "tall" and "blue eyes" - it's a man made construct, you know?

The sticking point is: do you believe one "race" to be superior to another? My answer is "no", and I am therefore not a racist.