Introduction
Value- free science describes a situation where science can depend on the facts presented and not be influenced by the social and moral values. It primarily involves impartiality where ideologies are accepted not based on social values but knowledge and facts. Also, it offers an element of neutrality and equality. Therefore, it is not completely possible to achieve a value-free science of race since our modern idea of race has its origins not on scientific investigations but rather historical cultural values.
Race Concept
Article ‘Race in North America’ by AUDREY and BRIAN SMEDLEY Race is a worldview term that emanated from the popular cultural beliefs about the human variations that existed through the 16th to 19th centuries …show more content…
One such element was that white, dark and other people of color were very distinct biological beings whose clear variations were due to their characteristic phenotypic appearance and cultural behavior. The other element was the social need to rank races in order of their superiority to enhance the culture of inequality among the human groups [25]. The third race ideology was that the outward appearance of people were indication of their inner qualities such as intellect and moral behavior. Today, it is widely known that there is no connection between learned behavior and the natural physical form of the human body. The fourth element was the belief that all physical attributes and behavior of the various social groups were capable of being transferred to subsequent generations in their specific rank order. Lastly, it was believed that each race was a distinct creation of God or the influence of nature and their respective variations were not possible to modify. It is the combination of these elements that held intact the race ideology in America …show more content…
Based on this belief, some scientists were of the idea that the inferiority of blacks and Indians was as a result of cultural behavior and that they could be made superior through education. One such scientist was Benjamin Franklin who believed that one day inferior races would eventually die out and America would be composed of whites only. One of his popular quote is “I could wish their numbers were increased. And while we are, as I may call it, scouring our planet, by clearing America of woods, and so making this side of our globe reflect a brighter light to the eyes of the inhabitants in Mars or Venus… why should we darken its people? Why should we increase the Sons of Africa, by planting them in America, where we have so fair an opportunity, by excluding all Blacks and Tawney’s, of increasing the lovely white and red?”
Value- free science describes a situation where science can depend on the facts presented and not be influenced by the social and moral values. It primarily involves impartiality where ideologies are accepted not based on social values but knowledge and facts. Also, it offers an element of neutrality and equality. Therefore, it is not completely possible to achieve a value-free science of race since our modern idea of race has its origins not on scientific investigations but rather historical cultural values.
Race Concept
Article ‘Race in North America’ by AUDREY and BRIAN SMEDLEY Race is a worldview term that emanated from the popular cultural beliefs about the human variations that existed through the 16th to 19th centuries …show more content…
One such element was that white, dark and other people of color were very distinct biological beings whose clear variations were due to their characteristic phenotypic appearance and cultural behavior. The other element was the social need to rank races in order of their superiority to enhance the culture of inequality among the human groups [25]. The third race ideology was that the outward appearance of people were indication of their inner qualities such as intellect and moral behavior. Today, it is widely known that there is no connection between learned behavior and the natural physical form of the human body. The fourth element was the belief that all physical attributes and behavior of the various social groups were capable of being transferred to subsequent generations in their specific rank order. Lastly, it was believed that each race was a distinct creation of God or the influence of nature and their respective variations were not possible to modify. It is the combination of these elements that held intact the race ideology in America …show more content…
Based on this belief, some scientists were of the idea that the inferiority of blacks and Indians was as a result of cultural behavior and that they could be made superior through education. One such scientist was Benjamin Franklin who believed that one day inferior races would eventually die out and America would be composed of whites only. One of his popular quote is “I could wish their numbers were increased. And while we are, as I may call it, scouring our planet, by clearing America of woods, and so making this side of our globe reflect a brighter light to the eyes of the inhabitants in Mars or Venus… why should we darken its people? Why should we increase the Sons of Africa, by planting them in America, where we have so fair an opportunity, by excluding all Blacks and Tawney’s, of increasing the lovely white and red?”