I was prompted to come back to this thread by a quote of my statement on another thread, 'that it plays right into the racist's hands'. I had no idea that my statement had such a negative reaction, therefore I feel that I must try to clarify my thoughts behind what I said.
Article quote:
The genetic differences between individual human beings are much greater than was previously thought, according to research that offers a fresh explanation for the unique physical and psychological characteristics of every person.
A revolutionary map that compared the genomes of 270 people has shown that humans are not 99.9 per cent genetically identical as assumed, but that much more of our DNA varies between one person and the next.
Matthew Hurles, of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, in Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, a leader of the research, said: “The variation that researchers had seen before was simply the tip of the iceberg, while the bulk lay submerged, undetected.” End Quote
All very well and very interesting, because at last we can begin to understand the reasons for the vast differences in each and every individual. I wasn't for one minute suggesting that this shouldn't have been published or stifled in any way, but the first thought that struck me when I read it was the statement that I made.
The thing, is that the facts behind those very same differences that we can now begin to explain can and will be used by the racism mongers that are likely to point them out when talking about how one race is more intelligent than another etc. Up to now, scientists could say that we were 99.9% identical therefore the racists assertions were wrong, but after this news it leaves the whole question of inherent differences wide open. They are likely to say that 'look, not only are we genetically different as individuals but we are also genetically different as races, as science is only just beginning to understand and will be able to prove one day'
This is what I meant when I made my statement. Knee-jerk reaction? Possibly...probably...undoubtedly, yes it was but there was also an equally quick flash of reasoning behind it.
Article quote:
The genetic differences between individual human beings are much greater than was previously thought, according to research that offers a fresh explanation for the unique physical and psychological characteristics of every person.
A revolutionary map that compared the genomes of 270 people has shown that humans are not 99.9 per cent genetically identical as assumed, but that much more of our DNA varies between one person and the next.
Matthew Hurles, of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, in Hinxton, Cambridgeshire, a leader of the research, said: “The variation that researchers had seen before was simply the tip of the iceberg, while the bulk lay submerged, undetected.” End Quote
All very well and very interesting, because at last we can begin to understand the reasons for the vast differences in each and every individual. I wasn't for one minute suggesting that this shouldn't have been published or stifled in any way, but the first thought that struck me when I read it was the statement that I made.
The thing, is that the facts behind those very same differences that we can now begin to explain can and will be used by the racism mongers that are likely to point them out when talking about how one race is more intelligent than another etc. Up to now, scientists could say that we were 99.9% identical therefore the racists assertions were wrong, but after this news it leaves the whole question of inherent differences wide open. They are likely to say that 'look, not only are we genetically different as individuals but we are also genetically different as races, as science is only just beginning to understand and will be able to prove one day'
This is what I meant when I made my statement. Knee-jerk reaction? Possibly...probably...undoubtedly, yes it was but there was also an equally quick flash of reasoning behind it.
