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The new Ten Commandments

  2. rwylie
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The simple marker which we use to classify humans, namely race, is not as easy to define as we might think.

With our improved understanding of DNA, the criteria by which you and I would typically assign people a race are exposed to be seriously flawed: Features which we notice most easily, such as skin colour, or facial structure, are often only skin deep, rather than 'gene-deep' (I'm sure someone else has coined that before now). In short, our social definitions are often completely meaningless on the genetic level.

The need for a more definitive description of what constitutues a 'race' (try to define it, it's not easy!), and furthermore how much significance we should assign it when conducting genetic, medical, psycological, or even historical studies of individuals and groups, prompted leaders in a wide range of fields: ranging from geneticists and psychologists to historians and philosophers, to come up with a set of guidlines to aid in their studies.

So here are the new and improved Ten Commandments (although, like their Biblical namesake they were not set in stone):

1. All races are created equal

2. An Argentinian and an Australian are more likely to have differences in their DNA than two Argentinians

3. A person's history isn't written only in his or her genes

4: Members of the same race may have different underlying genetics

5. Both nature and nurture play important parts in our behaviors and abilities

6. Researchers should be careful about using racial groups when designing experiments

7. Medicine should focus on the individual, not the race

8. The study of genetics requires cooperation between experts in many different fields

9. Oversimplified science feeds popular misconceptions

10. Genetics 101 should include a history of racism
rwylie

12 responses // The new Ten Commandments

  • There is more genetic diversity in the continent of Africa alone, than there is between Africans and every other 'race' on Earth.

    In a short oversimplification, Han Chinese may be more closely related to a North African 'race' than that North African 'race' is to another north african 'race' with provenance only a fraction of the distance of China to North Africa.
    rwylie
  • You made a mistake in # 2. You meant to say less likely.
    Saladin
    3 responses to this
  • Number 9 needs to be repeated and repeated, especially amongst the news broadcasters.
    brad149
  • amen
    rwylie
  • #10..amen..do it!
    WorldPeaceTV
  • Veeeeeery interesting, great post!
    DeliaTheArtist
  • You forgot number 11 by George Carlin, pardon my french...



    #11 Keep thine own religion to thine own fucking self.
    Bahlkris
  • a teacher told us once: there are more genetic codes for your eye color than your skin.

    ??
    samonster34
  • It's quite strange why we historically, and still do, attach so much importance to pigmentation of the skin.

    For example, qualities like attractiveness or brain size would make more GENETIC sense to discriminate against, if one was so inclined, which I'm not.
    rwylie

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