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Racism and mental superiority Sir, The discrimination of humanity on the basis of Sex, Caste, Colour, religion and race originated as a result of evolution of human civilization from primative age to the modern era. The peak of socio- scientific revolution in civilization has not abolished these evils from our planet. The retrograde development of racial discrimination of humanity with the maturation of human civilization is of great concern for human race and threatens the overall safety of earth. The concept of racial superiority and implementation of the so called ''Master race Theory'' of Adlof Hitler resulted in World War-II. In fact, the tremendous growth of Neo-Facists and Neo-Nazi's in Germany, Italy and other European Countries has posed a new challenges for all of us. Frankly speaking, these trends could prove fatal and lead to universal catastrophe. Unfortunately, some scientists and scholars believing in racial discrimination provide biological justification for upholding the concept of superior and inferior races. The superior races, as they claim, have the right to dominate and subjugate inferior races, not only because of economic and political retardation of the latter but also because of their lower biological organisation. These scientists provide developments and structural variation of the brain of different races to support their concept of Racism. They explain that inferiority of races is determined by the relatively small weight and volume of the brain, the presence of fever sulci and gyri, their rare variations, the presence of sulci mode typical of primates and certain other signs as indication of mental inferiority. The shape of skull of African races resembling chimpanze adds charm to this concept. In any case, the above mentioned structural peculiarities of brain can not justify the inferior development of races. The weight of normal brain ranges from 1100 to 2000 grams. The weight of brain is not an indication of development of an individual since the weight of certain geniuses have been found to vary greatly. The researches of Russian scientists Yakob indicate that heavy brain can be found not only in gifted individuals but also in people of moderate intelligence, epileptics and idiots. The heaviest human brain (2850 gms) belonged to 20 year old epileptic idiot. The impossibility of correlation of weight of the brain with the mental capacity is explained by Yakob by comparison of weight of brain of 50 outstanding personalities, of different professions. The two great writers, I S Turgeneve and Anatole France were presumably equally talented, But the weight of brain of I S Turgeneve (2102 gms) was almost twice the weight of brain of Anatole France's (1750 gms). Thus the lesser weight of brain of France was not impediment to his talent. The absolute volume of brain and skull is not a sign of lower biological organisation. The circumference of Goeth's head was 60 cm and that of Dante's 54 cm. Yet Dante provided on immortal gift ''Divine Commedia'' to the humanity. Ringer noted that ''One may be intelligent with a small brain''. Let us add '' or an idiot with a big brain''. The presence of sulci more typical of primates are encountered with equal frequency in brains of representatives of different races and intellectuals of reknown. These researches were conducted by L Pines. He explains that the development of other sulci and gyri also varies, occuring with equal frequency in different races. Kholbrugge and Landua argue that mental capacity can not be evaluated on the basis of sulci. The brain of sheep contains more sulci and gyri as compared to the human brain. No extraordinary structures were found in the brain of Albert Enistine. In short such structural features are not racial signs but the evidence of individual variability, to which all the organs including the brain, are a subject. A natural increase in the weight and volume of brain does occur in the evolution of man but only over a period of hundreds of thousands of years. The brain of anthropoid ape weights 400-500 grams and brain of modern man weights 1100 grms to 2000 grms (average 1500 grams). Difference in the weight and volume of modern men do not reflect the degree of their mental development. Cultural and political backwardness of nations is not due to the biological organisation (Structure of brain and body of human being) but due to the social conditions prevailing in each. Vivid illustration of this is seen in the China, India Egypt and other countries. Here architecture and literature originated earlier than in Europe and these ancient and refined cultures created many wonderful monuments of art, architecture and literature. The oppression of India by the British, however, during 300 years of colonialism, severely retarded the development of Indian people. After shedding the yoke of Colonialism India is rapidly advancing along the road of social progress among 3rd World countries. It is therefore, essential to regard such racist theories in science critically and disapprove them with strictly scientific, morphological and social facts. Yours etc... |
