The Biological Case Against Race

American Outlook, publication of the Hudson Institute ^ | Spring 2002 | Joseph L. Graves Jr.

[Sabertooth]

Twin studies show that genetics accounts for... 50% of sexual behavior

If you're referring to a twin study that claims that 50% of the identical twins who are themselves homosexual, have a homosexual twin, there are some serious problems with that study. The first is that the sample population was self-selected by responding to adds in the back of homosexual publications.

Other less-skewed twin studies have given numbers between 10% and 20%.

But there's a problem even calling those 10% to 20% evidence of a genetic link to homosexuality... because the nature vs. nurture debate is a false dilemma. There is a third possibility...

Pre-natal.

Numerous factors can affect pre-natal development. One particulary vulnerable phase occurs when that XY chromosome kicks in the hormones and turns an externally female fetus into the male it was genetically destined to be.

What if pre-natal conditions are somehow less than optimal during that hormone surge? What is the impact on the later sexual preference of that fetus?

We don't really know, but we know that identical twins share an identical pre-natal environment.

Basically, what the twin studies of homosexuals indicates is that the cause is most likely not genetic. Here's why...

Eye color is genetic. 100% of the identical twins with blue eyes have a blue eyed twin. But when twin studies of homosexuality give an identical correlation of 10% or 20% (heck, even 50%), then we know for a fact that homosexuality isn't genetic in 50% to 90% of the cases. The bottom line is that nurture and pre-natal probably account for the bulk of the rest.

After all, wouldn't a "gay gene" have a hard time perpetuating itself?

Hard to escape the fact that homosexuals are absolutely always procreated heterosexually.

[aquila48]

Whether or not we ever find a causal relationship between two traits is irrelevant and unimportant. It may be a limitation of our knowledge which time may or may not resolve.

But we don't need to wait. If we see with our own eyes that two traits almost always appear together, why isn't that sufficient proof that the two are related? And thus make a strong statistical inference that with A I almost always get B?

Denying the existence of races in human is comparable to denying the existence of breeds in dogs - as well as their differences.

[RadioAstronomer]

Thanks for the bump! :-)

[SauronOfMordor]

Are Jews supposed to be a racial group or a religion? Why would Jews from Eastern Europre than those from Western Europe. Are they different races? In fact, how many races are there- if racial differences are clear cut, then this question should be easy.

When you have

• an identifiable group of people,
• who have interbred for many generations with each other but mostly not with people outside the group,
• and the members of the group have been subjected to a particular common environment

Then you would have a group of people who would be accumulating characteristics that tended to support survival in their particular environment. After a while, the set of evolved characteristics would define a "race"

For Eastern European Jews, a common factor was that their occupations were limited to things like merchant, tradesman, and money-lender -- all of which have people surviving better if they are intelligent, with strength and speed being not that relevant.

Life in sub-Saharan Africa was such that hunting large critters paid a big part of it, and defending against hostile critters and other tribes was another big factor. Athletic ability, combined with an ability to remain aware of your buddies' position in the hunt/fight, combined with an ability to make quick decisions in a rapidly moving and chaotic situation were big survival factors. These characteristics also come in very handy in sports like basketball and football.

[tallhappy]

Your response is laughable.

But I will set you straight.

This is not a political issue.

To the extent it is and can be politicized, the absence of objective consistent biological definition of race does not coinicide with the liberal worldview. Liberal thought places categorization, including race as a number one, of people as important and essential.

You boys are very very mixed up as to what conservatism is and unaware of how you share the liberal worldview with all the victims and Jesse Jacksons and social engineers etc...

[wardaddy]

Sorry to have bothered you.

[wardaddy]

Strictly cultural ???.....please...

[Myrddin]

If blacks have higher testosterone levels (10-20% higher) and blacks committ (sic) over 50% of the violent crimes...and higher testosterone is linked to higher propensities to crime...should they be punished less?

No. If you do the crime, you do the time. No exceptions. Get the criminals off the street. The three strikes approach has been exceptionally effective in reducing crime by removing the repeat offenders from the streets.

[wardaddy]

Ok ..I'm bothering you again. You offered statements with no data or backup. I have a link below from Rushton who is arguably the leader(amongst Anthropologists) of the non-politically correct view that there are biological differences between races and even amongst sub groups within particular races. He and Graves go at it regularly. Anyone may indeed make up their own mind as it suits them. There is as well a plethora of work out there from Graves point of view reducing biological differences down to phenotypes and "biocultural" and beyond. Conclusions one wishes to make from such studies or data is the real issue isn't it, rather than the data itself? I am only opining from my layman's observations that there are indeed differences.

The link is HERE

I will gladly peruse contrary articles anyone has to offer.

Regards

[Condorman]

Christian nations thrive, pagan nations fall.

Tell that to Taiwan
Religion: mixture of Buddhist, Confucian, and Taoist - 93%

And Japan
Religion: observe both Shinto and Buddhist - 84%

For starters....

Source: CIA World FactBook

[Billy_bob_bob]

Thanks for the link.

[Condorman]

The most charitable interpretation is that there's some genetic marker for skin pigmentation that is also responsible for one being fleet footed. Ie, the skin pigmentation the running ability have a common genetic cause. A genetic vindication of a folk theory of race would find those common causes. But when we look, they're not there.

If you'll pardon me, you seem to display a rather limited understanding of genetic inheritance and statistical analysis. Mebbe, instead requiring that skin tone and athleticism be being gentically linked, we merely hypothesize that they are correlated.

There is certainly a significant amount of evidence for such, as reported here. People of east African descent dominate endurance running. People of west African descent dominate the sprints. (By memory, of the 300 fastest sprinters in the world, 297 are of west African descent.)

All of which can be summed up as follows:

"BDF" and "So what?"

[Condorman]

Sorry, didn't realize that link had already been posted.

[wardaddy]

Anybody can go to Google and simply type in "biological differences between Races". One could spend months examining all the hits. Everything from extremely PC perspectives to Neo-Nazi eugenics. Like most issues, the "truth" is somewhere in the middle. The real issue gets started when one goes beyond using racial classification to describe physical characteristics. There are trends to be sure with everyone getting some pros and cons. There is no super-race. I am only interested in the truth and I rely mostly on a lot of observation from around the world.

The canard that human genetic studies show that we all share a 99% identical genetic pattern is exactly that...a canard in my view. We also share a 98% identical genetic pattern with chimps. That 1 percent between us and chimps obviously accounts for some serious differences. If so, then why would not the same 1% variations between human race and even amongst the sub groups of said races also account for some undeniable differences? We are 90% identical genetically with mice as well? LOL....now that's a 10% diference I'm glad we were granted.

[tallhappy]

I am only opining from my layman's observations that there are indeed differences.

That's rather obvious.

[wardaddy]

I'm assuming you meant BFD...and yes you are right....except many folks are denying the existence of biological differences between races and racial sub groups because it doesn't fit their ideology. I am only interested in the truth that there are differences. Aside from physical differences, I believe most negative behavior patterns are cultural. Of course then one will invariably ask as William Tell did last night: Isn't culture a product to some degree of race in addition to many many other factors?

[wardaddy]

You have offered no links to anything. Why don't you attempt to join in with some data or backup? It would be much more enjoyable for all of us if you could do more than simply deny or sling personal attacks. Give us something with which to discuss. You claim there are no biological differences between races. I disagree. Show me something.

[ThePythonicCow]

This is not a political issue.

Yeah, right. We both know that's b.s.

Liberal thought places categorization, including race as a number one, of people as important and essential.

Both liberal and conservative thought must deal with the self evident differences amongst peoples. The key difference is the conclusion they reach, whether or not it justifies centrally mandated and enforced homogenization of outcomes.

Liberal thought blames social, cultural and economic inequities for causing these categorizations, which is exactly what Graves is doing. Then liberals can justify more centralized power to address these inequities. In their view, these inequities (and other calamities, such as global warming) are man made, and we (the collective we, really meaning them, the would be tyrants) should fix them. The collective improperly assumes the role of God. Hubris.

Conservative thought recognizes that there are God given or natural categorizations and differences. It is fitting and proper that there will be a wide variety of outcomes, depending on our individual capabilities, energy, resolve, genetics, upbringing, situation and a bit of luck. We each individually have the responsibility to be the best we can be. Central government has a limited role to provide for the common defense and provide a fair legal and economic framework. Fairness not measured by equal outcomes, but by equal opportunity, within practical limits. A moral authority beyond our understanding, or at least beyond our power to manipulate, determines the outcomes.

[ThePythonicCow]

"BDF"

Is that the same as "BFD"?

[ThePythonicCow]

No sweat - bears repeating.