ANTH 1102 Chapter Notes - Chapter 6: Chemical Substance, Human Genetic Variation, Melanin
5 Mar 2018
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Historical ways to approach human biology: racial classification, current approach - focuses on understanding specific differences. Problems with current racial classification (attempt of assigning humans to discrete categories - basing on common ancestry). Sometimes race is seen as a form of classification of different breeds of dogs or types of roses when grouping together subspecies. Humanity lacks races like this because it hasn"t been isolated enough to develop discrete groups. Racism is discrimination against a group that is perceived to be different. Biological differences are real, important, and apparent to us all. Present day scientist seek explanations for this diversity, rather than placing people into categories. Race reflects shared genetic material (through inheritance), but early scholars use phenotypical traits for classification. This form of classification raises problems when choosing which traits should be primary. Classification of individuals based on skin color are inaccurate due to improper names of color.
