Huh that makes me wonder, how different even were the races within Homo sapiens during those days? I kind of always assumed that there wasnāt as much difference back then because the species hadnāt had much time to diversify yet, but no idea where that assumption comes from. Really should look it up
The lines between species donāt exist outside of our own minds. We simply make distinctions based on what our needs might be. If itās tracing the prehistoric ancestry of humanoids, the āspeciesā designations help us keep track of those peoples. If itās reinforcing white supremacy, drawing harsh distinctions between different humans is very useful for legitimizing oppression.
This is actually bigger than evolutionary science, as all systems of understanding are fundamentally constructed. Theyāre all tools made by our brains to help us navigate a world of near infinite complexity. That doesnāt mean they arenāt useful, it just means that we must always be ready to change them. The scientific method will bring theory in line with reality eventually, as accurate understandings are generally more useful. However, there will always be unfortunate truths that people would rather ignore. Only by showing the value of a truth and providing space for it will that truth finally be accepted.
Huh that makes me wonder, how different even were the races within Homo sapiens during those days? I kind of always assumed that there wasnāt as much difference back then because the species hadnāt had much time to diversify yet, but no idea where that assumption comes from. Really should look it up
Same, I should too lol
The lines between species donāt exist outside of our own minds. We simply make distinctions based on what our needs might be. If itās tracing the prehistoric ancestry of humanoids, the āspeciesā designations help us keep track of those peoples. If itās reinforcing white supremacy, drawing harsh distinctions between different humans is very useful for legitimizing oppression.
This is actually bigger than evolutionary science, as all systems of understanding are fundamentally constructed. Theyāre all tools made by our brains to help us navigate a world of near infinite complexity. That doesnāt mean they arenāt useful, it just means that we must always be ready to change them. The scientific method will bring theory in line with reality eventually, as accurate understandings are generally more useful. However, there will always be unfortunate truths that people would rather ignore. Only by showing the value of a truth and providing space for it will that truth finally be accepted.