Re: Mr. Darwin's supposed racism

From: MikeBGene@aol.com
Date: Mon Feb 21 2000 - 17:44:51 EST

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    In response to a claim by Craig, I quoted:
     
    >"At some future time, not very distant as measured by centuries, the
    >civilised races of man will almost certainly exterminate and replace
    >throughout the world the savage races. At the same time the
    >anthropomorphous apes... will not doubt be exterminated. The break will
    >then be rendered wider, for it will intervene between man in a more
    >civilised state, as we may hope, than the Caucasian, and some ape as low as
    >the baboon, instead of as at present between the negro or Australian and the
    >gorilla. Charles Darwin, The Descent of Man, p. 201 (Princeton University
    >Press 1981).
    >
    >Just studying plants and animals, eh?
     
     Susan replies:

    [snip}
     
    >Mike makes the mistake of assuming that Darwin was "hoping" that the
    >"savage" races would be wiped out. He wasn't.

    I assumed nothing about Darwin's hopes nor do I care whether or not
    one can put the racist label on Darwin. I was merely replying to Craig's
    claim that attempted to portray Darwin as one who did not engage in
    sociological speculations but instead merely studied animal and plant
    life. I made no mistake; Liz Craig did.

    Mike



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