Human Species Quotes
This statement has been described by the great American scientist Stephen J. Gould as “the most famous 19th century statement of equality made by a scientist.” Humboldt was one of the great scientists of his era and personally met with Thomas Jefferson who was a great admirer of his and who had read his works. It is somewhat ironic that the German racism of the 20th century was so ignorant of Humboldt’s views even as it lauded the great German. The famous Nazi book burning scene seen in newsreels around the world actually took place outside the library of Humboldt University in Berlin.
Suggesting that the War Office be less euphemistic, hiding the horrors of war he proposed signs of the office doors. In 1799 the same article appeared again under the name of Dr. Benjamin Rush who may have plagiarized the original or, as some argue, may have actually authored the 1792 article.
Gore who generally was a progressive on almost all issues, was quite conservative when it came to human genetic manipulation and cloning. Scientists for whom Gore was a favorite politician based on his leadership of digital technology and the Internet and his Nobel prize winning work on environmentalism, but his stance in this quotation was puzzling to many.