MadSci Network: Evolution |
Dear Miguel, First of all, the vast majority of biological anthropologists today do not think that race is a useful concept when applied to humans. However, there is of course biological (as well as cultural) variation. The concept of 'cline' is the far more accepted idea among human biologists. A cline can be defined as a gradual gradation in the frequency of a particular physical trait over geographical space. For example, people have darker skin color near the equator and the color lightens as you move north or south from the equator (due to the processes of natural selection). In my view there is one race, the human race. Language is a cultural aspect. As the world becomes closer together it is not inconceivable over a century or two that the human race will, for better or worse, become more united in culture including language. Please see Stephen Jay Gould's book The Mismeasure of Man for more background information on this topic. Dr. Smerken
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