Biological Determinism Quotes
This quotation and the so called “facts” therein have been quoted by many to demonstrate general racial inferiority of Blacks as compared to whites in the first half of the 20th century. There are two difficulties with their arguments. First it has been scientifically demonstrated that amongst many animals including humans brain size has nothing to do with intelligence. For example, the primitive Neanderthal man had a bigger skull and brain than modern man. Second, it is not the case that Negro brains are smaller than whites. Stephen J. Gould has demonstrated the fallacy of these early studies showing the difference. It is a classic scientific example that researchers looking for a particular solution will often find it whether or not it is real.
This quotation is important for two reasons. First, it appears to be the first use of the nature-nurture words to discuss this concept. Second, this “conclusion” started one of the longest running scientific debates in biology—nurture vs nature.
Morton the had the largest collection of skulls I the world, and “measured” the cranial capacity. The implication of superior Caucasian intellect so widely believed sprung from his research. Today, we not only know that cranial capacity is not correlated with intellectual capacity, but Stephen J. Gould has actually demonstrated that Morton’s measurements were incorrect anyway.
This pseudo-scientific organization, in spite of the junk science it was promulgating, actually had a substantial American following and over 20 states actually passed laws to allow forced sterilization who were “UNFIT”. In reality while there is a genetic component to each of the examples it only increases the probabilities and is not determinative. And even f it were and there were selective breeding of humans, these “TRAITS” would not be eliminated in 3 generations.
