Blog for Week of November 4th

 One of the most interesting points from this week came from our class discussion before the Cañizares-Esguerra article: race doesn't exist scientifically, but it does socially. I really connected with this statement because it aligns with many of my own viewpoints on race and life in general. A lot of human interaction is based on ideas we create on our own. We can't comprehend large theories in an instant, but we can process pre-conceived ideas that we have already experienced. Most "structures" in the world are made up of social organizations designed by people. Whether it is race, politics, or class, humans have found ways to socially classify each other based on characteristics. All of these things don't necessarily relate to natural law because the individuals affected by them are so different. Natural law applies to everyone, but race, politics, and class only apply to specific groups. Humans tend to like people who share similar opinions or characteristics to themselves, and this mindset often leads to unique social structures. The way that I think of it is that if our world was "reset" or "scrambled," natural law would still exist, but the consequential social structures might be completely different from our current world. Humans need constant organization as a result of natural law. Social structures provide that necessary configuration; therefore, they will continue to exist and develop as long as we are here. 

Comments

  1. Brooke KolarNovember 5, 2021 at 7:37 AM

    Hi Ben! I really enjoyed your comparison of natural law and social constructions. It is absolutely true that science does not accept the concept of race. The first biology lab that I took this year focused on why different regions of the world had darker skin colors than others. It was not because there were different types of homo sapiens but to protect the people living in sunny regions. The more melanin in your skin lowers the absorption rate of vitamin D in your cells and protects against UV-A radiation. This was a response of evolution. As people moved farther from the equator, they were in regions with less intense solar radiation and needed to absorb more vitamin D. Evolution, again, took over and lightened their skin. Skin color was never about separating people into different social categories but for practicality. The way society focuses on peoples differences to make assumptions is detrimental. By only surrounding yourself with people who have the same opinions, keeps your perspective of the world small and does not allow social growth to occur.

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  2. Médar SerrataNovember 9, 2021 at 7:31 PM

    Thank you, Ben, for your post. Your discussion of the idea of race is thought-provoking and shows that you clearly understand why race is not a natural but a social phenomenon. However, I'm not sure I agree with the conclusion you draw from this. It is true that social structures are created by people, but that doesn't mean that "they will continue to exist as long as we are here." If societies can change, so can the structures they create, don´t you think?

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