Theories of Racism

Scientists conceived of race as a way to explain human biological. There are three theories that scientist uses to determine human biological. One of the theories is the pre-Adamite theory that was developed by Isaac de La Peyrare. The second theory which correlates with pre-Adamite theory is called the “Great Chain of Being”. The third theory was the development of the race called Caucasian by Johann Friedrich Blumenbach. The fourth theory is Polygenesis which was established by Louis Agassiz. The fifth theory is pseudoscience of phrenology that was proposed by Samuel George Morton. In this paper I will discuss four theories that were used to explicate race as a human biological

The first theory was discovered by a French scholar named Isaac de La Peyrare in 1655. Pre-Adamite theory claimed that human beings existed prior to the story of Adam and Eve that was written in the bible. This theory presented different point of views for different populations or races. Pre-Adamite theory allowed the understanding of others as both outside the creation of man in God’s perspective and outside the Christian standards and beliefs. It allowed Europeans to preceded on killing and enslaving Native Americans and Africans while considering themselves as Christians.

Additionally, the second theory “Great Chain of Being” had influence scientists and philosophers that all creations forms of hierarchy. Within a hierarchy there are different populations or races. Many Americans were protestant Christians who acknowledged the biblical story of creation argued that we all are in resembling of Adam and Eve. Racial differences were obtained by different readings in the Holy Bible precisely the book of Noah. The “Great Chain of Being” was used by Europeans to validate social vigorous and by the eighteenth and nineteenth century it was used to clarify racism and captivity. Although the impression of the “Great Chain of Being is that all creations falls up under one hierarchy.

The third theory was created in 1776 by Johann Friedrich Blumenbach who was an egalitarian who also did a skull measurement. Johann found skulls of people who lived near Caucasus Mountain. He discovered those that lived by the Caucasus Mountain have the most beautiful skulls. By observing a skull is how Blumenbach discovered that Caucasians had beautiful skulls. Also, he discovered the actual race called “Caucasian” by this theory. Johann makes classifications based on what his insight of beauty and thinks it’s impartial.

Furthermore, the fourth theory polygenesis was created in the eighteenth century by Louis Agassiz. Louis used polygenesis to explain the differences among different human groups based off their intelligence or their traits. Polygenesis demonstrated that humans were not in variance by race but by species. He industrialized the theory to provide a term called “creation centers”. Louis define this as various areas of the world were centers for ancestries of animals and humans. Each group had its own creations. There were a black, white, and Asian Adam that were concurrent in its own creation center. To predict that races have same abilities, to enjoy the same power, to show the exact same natural dispositions, and that penalties of this equality they are permitted to the same position in human humanity it is illogical.

The fifth theory is phrenology which was created by Samuel George Morton in the early nineteenth century. Phrenology is what Samuel George Morton used to measure the exterior of individuals skulls to illustrate their behavior, moral, and intellectual traits. It permitted classification to be made between different ethnicities. Samuel attained hundreds of skulls from Indians and compared it to his fifty African skulls and Caucasians skulls. He ended up with results that white people had superior skulls than Indians and Indians having bigger skulls than Africans. For substantial differences Morton used mustard seeds or lead shots and poured it into cylinder and measure the volume.

[bookmark: _Hlk550110] In Morton’s measurement many other scientists found that it was biased and incorrect. Morton assumed that the size and structure of a skull regulates the level of intelligence which is delusional. Often people think the word intelligence is what we used to assume different intellectual skills. To even think it’s an object, entity, or a thing to measure the cubic centimeters of something that you got in your mindset is ridiculous. Morton assumed that he could measure genetic variation to determine the intelligence of the different population we have in the world.

In conclusion, many scientists developed ways to consider race as a human biological in the eighteenth and nineteenth century. Scientist came up with several theories to define race as human biological. Most of the theories are biased and incorrect about the different races. Race is being defined by the types of human behavior, intellects, intelligence, skull size, and morals. Scientist fail to realize race is a set of culturally beliefs about human differences. All scientist should interpret that race has no association with human biological assortment.

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