Darwin Day: Anthropology, Race and Eugenics

Anthropology, Race and Eugenics.

These are the topics for discussion at the Hastings Humanists "Darwin Day" meeting

on Thursday 13 February, 7 to 9 pm at the White Rock Hotel.

The Secretary will introduce these subjects by a look at their history.

There have been many new discoveries regarding human precursors reported over the last years –

in fact only today there is a report in the News of 800,000 year old footprints discovered in Norfolk –  do we have the full story of human evolution yet? – probably not, it's getting more complicated.

The concept of Race has long been controversial – does it have any meaning?

Eugenics got a bad name in the twentieth century – is it making a comeback?

We are not experts – If you have views or knowledge bring them to our discussion.

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Here are some links to sources of some of the information in my talk

ANTHROPOLOGY
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_evolution

http://oregonstate.edu/instruct/phl302/texts/montaigne/montaigne-essays--2.html
- of cannibals

http://www.ancient-origins.net/news-evolution-human-origins/entire-neanderthal-genome-finally-mapped-amazing-results-001138

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Q8ncuH3VgE
- Michio Kaku on CBS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nordic_race
- origins of racist ideology, Gobineau. Lapouge, etc.

http://www.thejournal.ie/readme/john-mitchel-was-hailed-as-a-totem-for-irish-liberty-but-he-was-a-white-supremacist-1266182-Jan2014/
- John Mitchel paradox

RACE
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Race_(human_classification)

http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/about-thinking/201312/four-simple-reasons-smart-people-shouldnt-believe-in-races
- I don't think denying races exist is any way to get rid of racism!

http://www.edge.org/response-detail/25534
- what scientific idea is ready for retirement?
- race according to Nina Jablonski

EUGENICS
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eugenics

http://www.galton.org/letters/darwin/correspondence.htm

http://www.winstonchurchill.org/support/the-churchill-centre/publications/finest-hour-online/594-churchill-and-eugenics

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xzfMfJxA0K0&list=PLEEE3F51FFB962000
- eugenics a question of authority

http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2012/feb/17/eugenics-skeleton-rattles-loudest-closet-left
- see the comments too

http://www.wiringthebrain.com/2013/05/the-new-eugenics-same-as-old-eugenics.html

http://westhunt.wordpress.com/2012/03/09/get-smart/
- can we increase human intelligence

http://rrresearch.fieldofscience.com/2014/02/who-really-discovered-trisomy-21.html
- cause of down syndrome

This is by no means a complete list.