Scientific Racism During The Enlightenment
Ryan Beeton 16th November 2017
History 0834 Representing Race – Mr. John Mock
Writing Assignment 1 In this paper, I will discuss the beginnings of scientific racism during the enlightenment period in Europe during the 18th century and the effects they had even after the enlightenment. I will cover some of the leading enlightenment thinkers of the time, specifically in regards to classifying people into different races, placing those races into a hierarchy typically from their own superior race to others inferior races, and the role they played in the creation of scientific racism. Though there have been other forms of racism prior to the 18th century, the major growth and popularity of racist thought in the way scientific racism justifies …show more content…
Such as the thought that Jews were descendants of Adam and Eve, while other races have different origins, it shows the concept of having different blood and being separate from one another. This on its own does not directly indicate an inferior or superior originating race. The modern form of racism which distinguishes between physical characteristics became prominent during the 18th century where the term for race came from animal husbandry and aristocratic lineages. The thoughts that certain traits and even noble or royal blood was hereditary also came about during this time. Specific ideas such as certain physical and mental traits being seen as inferior, specifically those of Africans, were present with quite a few leading scientists and philosophers of that 18th …show more content…
The Scottish philosopher, David Hume, had quite negative assumptions about other races being inferior to whites (in particular blacks). He can be quoted on stating in Of National Characters “I am apt to suspect the negroes and in general all other species of men (for there are four or five different kinds) to be naturally inferior to whites… No ingenious manufactures among them, no arts, no sciences. On the other hand, the most rude and barbarous of the whites, the present Tartars have still something eminent about them.” Here it is clear that his statements portray quite directly the inferiority of non-white races, stating that even those groups of people he barely considers white to be superior still to any other race. He also says “In Jamaica indeed they talk of one negroe as a man of parts and learning; but ‘tis likely he is admired for very slender accomplishments like a parrot, who speaks a few words plainly.” Indicating that people of his perception of the inferior race, in this case blacks in Jamaica, can only be intelligent in a way that animals are perceived to be intelligent, where he relates even intelligent blacks to being like parrots that are able to speak a few
History 0834 Representing Race – Mr. John Mock
Writing Assignment 1 In this paper, I will discuss the beginnings of scientific racism during the enlightenment period in Europe during the 18th century and the effects they had even after the enlightenment. I will cover some of the leading enlightenment thinkers of the time, specifically in regards to classifying people into different races, placing those races into a hierarchy typically from their own superior race to others inferior races, and the role they played in the creation of scientific racism. Though there have been other forms of racism prior to the 18th century, the major growth and popularity of racist thought in the way scientific racism justifies …show more content…
Such as the thought that Jews were descendants of Adam and Eve, while other races have different origins, it shows the concept of having different blood and being separate from one another. This on its own does not directly indicate an inferior or superior originating race. The modern form of racism which distinguishes between physical characteristics became prominent during the 18th century where the term for race came from animal husbandry and aristocratic lineages. The thoughts that certain traits and even noble or royal blood was hereditary also came about during this time. Specific ideas such as certain physical and mental traits being seen as inferior, specifically those of Africans, were present with quite a few leading scientists and philosophers of that 18th …show more content…
The Scottish philosopher, David Hume, had quite negative assumptions about other races being inferior to whites (in particular blacks). He can be quoted on stating in Of National Characters “I am apt to suspect the negroes and in general all other species of men (for there are four or five different kinds) to be naturally inferior to whites… No ingenious manufactures among them, no arts, no sciences. On the other hand, the most rude and barbarous of the whites, the present Tartars have still something eminent about them.” Here it is clear that his statements portray quite directly the inferiority of non-white races, stating that even those groups of people he barely considers white to be superior still to any other race. He also says “In Jamaica indeed they talk of one negroe as a man of parts and learning; but ‘tis likely he is admired for very slender accomplishments like a parrot, who speaks a few words plainly.” Indicating that people of his perception of the inferior race, in this case blacks in Jamaica, can only be intelligent in a way that animals are perceived to be intelligent, where he relates even intelligent blacks to being like parrots that are able to speak a few