J. Anderson pg.

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Jennifer Anderson
Anth 1020
Prof. Potter
15 Apr. 2016
The Concept of Race
The biological definition of race can be interpreted as a range of similar characteristics that a
group of organisms express through the genetic expression of traits. A social definition of race can be
the differentiation between expressions within a group of organisms through a range of cultural,
economical, geographical, educational or physical traits. While I am not sure that we can come up with
an accurate representation of the development of our definition of race, in the following account I tried
to give some examples of groups of people that developed their own definition of race and how it
affected their societies.
When Hitler came to power he led the way for Galtons theory of Eugenics to manipulate the
cultural identity of thousands of people. Romans classified and enslaved entire populations in their
climb to become a world power. Religious zealots use a biblical interpretation of race to delineate and
control cultural atmospheres and self-expression. What they failed to realize is that not only does this
type of manipulation empower a limited few in the society, it also discards, destroys and restrains the
influences of natural selection to a certain outcome.
Over time there continue to be three general categories that I have found to have influenced
humans in their effort to establish an enduring method of defining a species organizational separation in
terms of race. These methods include, but are not limited to, geographical isolation, characteristic
expression and how an organism may be limited or benefitted by the expression of these characteristics.
There will always be problems using these types of diversification methods to disassociate organisms
though.
Back in the Age of Enlightenment, our interpretation of ethical behaviors seemed to be one
method of reasoning out our motivation to organize organisms. However, how and why we express our

J. Anderson pg. 2
abilities can be explained in numerous associations within a social and/or biological context. For
instance, one question we can ask ourselves is if characteristics are nature selected, self-imposed or
culturally imposed restrictions that have led us to explain/express who we are.
In a biological context one could say that the problems we have in defining a race stems from
John Ray and Carl Linneaus work in establishing a standardized classification system of nature. Once the
differentiation of species began we just couldnt stop ourselves from trying to separate out the
differences within our own species. Racial segregation however was going on long before that in the
form of hierarchal argumentation, dominance of cultural expression and wars over geographical
resources.
That is why I believe that the more understanding we gain about the complexity or our world,
the less we seem to agree on the definition of a race. In his paper, The Moral Insight, The Religious
Aspect of Philosophy, Josiah Royce tried to explain this dilemma when he stated It is impossible for us
to avoid the illusion of selfishness in our daily lives, as to escape seeing through the illusion at the
moment of insight. (Royce, 155) When we apply this understanding to our efforts in defining race it
leads us to comprehend why we have developed so many inaccuracies between associations over time.
When we assume a characteristic to have an association between organisms it may yet become
inaccurate as our understanding grows and we move ahead into the future.
Until then, we have continued to use outward biological expressions of characteristics in
combination with the geographical, social and sometimes even economical lifestyles of individual
organisms to dominate cultural interpretations and expressions of race with the intent to reason
between the ethical dilemmas and cultural behaviors of the age. In Human Origins: Evolution and
Diversity, Jurmain, Kilgore and Trevathan use the term race to refer to the geographical patterned
phenotypic variation within a species. (Jurmain, et.al.) Yet today with the increase in population growth
and dispersal we are seeing more and more worldwide geographical dispersal of organisms than we

J. Anderson pg. 3
have in any age previously recorded, which makes this type of social isolation interpretation of race a
more quickly outdated method of disassociation.
From what science has concluded about skin color variations would not lead us to logically
assume that just because an organism lives in a particular environment means that is where that
organisms ancestors originated. We are only beginning to understand the biological contributions in
our definition of what it means to belong to a race through the use of genetics. It is my hope that with
future study into this area of science that we do not try to limit organisms by the influences of a
particular set of forces but rather to see past the limits of an organisms combined traits to the
improvement of those capabilities.
What we learn about race is that race is not a limit to our capability (though race has been
known to become a limitation to those who try to manipulate others by using certain traits/expressions
against them) but includes the known choices available to an individual built from their interpretive
memory of previous experiences. In a recent article by Augustin Fuentes, PhD., he explains that the
variation of biological elements in humans is not racially distributed but rather an attempt by individuals
to define the differences between the social disparities of individuals within their society. (Fuentes)
Once we evaluate this human potential, race can then be explained in further depth as a war between
dominance and control.
Is it any wonder then that this debate over the definition of race has brought many like the main
character in Ayn Rands novella Anthem to believe, It is my will which chooses, and the choice of my
will is the only edict I must respect.(Rand) The confusion between our responsibility to self and others
is a complicated one with no easy answers. That does not mean that the answers do not exist, but that
perhaps we have been looking in the wrong place for the answers. We like to consider our individuality
as being a unique part of being human but we should at least realize that our individuality does not
negate our inclusion to the species as a whole.

J. Anderson pg. 4
Citations
Royce, Josiah. The Moral Insight. The Religious Aspect of Philosophy. (Gloucester, Mass: Peter Smith,
1965). Pg. 155-161. Book. Accessed on 18 Apr. 2016
Jurmain,Robert; Kilgore,Lynn; Travathan,Wenda. (2013) Human Origins; Evolution and Diversity
Cengage Learning. Book. Accessed on 18 Apr. 2016
Fuentes, Augustin, PhD. (2012) Race Is Real, But Not In The Way Many People Think; Busting The Myth
Of Biological Race. Pshycologytoday.com. Web. Accessed on 18 Apr. 2016 at
https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/busting-myths-about-human-nature/201204/race-is-real-notin-the-way-many-people-think
Rand, Ayn. (1946) Anthem. Penguin Group. New York, New York. Book. Accessed on 18 Apr. 2016.
Electronic viewing of this essay available @ www.andersonhome.weebly.com