JWST 240 Lecture Notes - Lecture 4: Scientific Racism, Pseudoscience, Monogenism
Document Summary
Racial science was a pseudoscience, but at the time was used as a credible field of study and was an important aspect in societies at the time. Became a central feature of the nazi ideology. Intellectual revolution at the end of the 18th century based on free assumption. First crucial assumption developed is that the entire universe is intelligent and governed by natural rather than supernatural forces. Fundamental questions can be measured by science and not anymore by turning towards religion. Humans can be educated and can be improved, the place in which someone is on the social latter isn"t static. This is when the idea at race at first surfaces. The enlightenment still believed in authority, it is not the authority of christianity, it places emphasis on rationality and encourages the exploration of natural laws. Observation there are physical and psychological differences between people of different races are neutral.
