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Race and Evolution
In Race and Evolution Stephen Sanderson sets forth a comprehensive evolutionary interpretation of race relations and race differences in the United States and the world. Drawing on the latest research in sociology, psychology, anthropology, and genetics, Sanderson shows in the book's first main part that there are race differences in cognitive ability, in family structure, in personality and temperament, and in law-abidingness. In the book's unique second part, the author discusses race and slavery, pigmentocracies, racism in history, the uniqueness of European societies, Northeast versus Southeast Asia, and the current plight of Africa. Throughout, Sanderson's approach is rigorously scientific, with many new data analyses to support the book's leading arguments. Showing sensitivity to current racial conflict, Race and Evolution concludes with recommendations for achieving greater racial understanding and harmony.
360 pages, Paperback
Published May 11, 2022
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25 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
May 5, 2023
An Excellent Book – Bold and Straightforward, Clear and Convincing!
Stephen Sanderson (a retired - i.e. no longer worried about the professional cancel culture - sociology professor with 39 years experience) begins his book with acknowledgement of three pioneers in the field of race studies – Philippe Rushton, Richard Lynn and Tatu Vanhanen, and this sets the frame of reference for what follows; a courageous and straightforward presentation of the scientific facts surrounding issues of race and intelligence – summarizing a range of material and studies from old to cutting edge as well as some of Sanderson’s own research.
This is an excellent book, providing a wonderful overview of the subject, but it’s also really not a beginner’s book (more like a senior-level seminar with the expectation being the reader is already familiar with the basics of biology and statistical analysis, can think critically and leave their biases at the door). For someone without that grounding I’d recommending starting with Edward Dutton’s “Making Sense of Race”.
Sanderson begins by presenting the official statements of two different American Anthropological associations (in two sets of seven points), which assert that race is merely a “social construct” and not definable by physical characteristics. He then goes on to show that each of their points are false (and based on bad and/or wishful science), and that curiously only 25% of American biological anthropologists think race is a real thing, while 75% of Polish ones do, and 100% of Chinese ones do. The reason for this, of course, is that America has a history of obsession with race due to slavery (and the uniquely nationalistic – and misrepresented - ideal of “equality”), while Poland and China do not (although you can be sure the Chinese have their own notions of racial superiority, differences and hierarchies between themselves and both the spectrum of the clines of East Asian peoples and the rest of humanity).
Next he describes five common explanations (environmental based) for why the black/white performance gap continues to persist, but points out how each is incomplete and how the gap is more clearly and simply (Occam’s Razor) explained by the hereditary approach. And so it goes, step-by-step, deeper and deeper into what has increasingly become forbidden academic territory…(my favorite parts are the chapters where he covers the history and effects of slavery, and the various economic realities around the world).
Throughout Sanderson is a very good writer/teacher, presenting the material in an even, clear, complete, as well as kind way, the intent being that by knowing our actual racial differences we can reduce racial misunderstanding, fruitless competition and hostility (the roots of “racism”) and so come to a more mature position of acceptance (of “race realism”). After defining the foundations of race realism (i.e. empirical data of differences) in the first part of the book, he goes on to discuss more general issues of racial and ethnic groups (i.e. the historical context), and then in the final part addresses the political reality (i.e. that racial equality will NEVER be reached, anywhere, and that putting off facing that fact just exacerbates the social, political and racial conflict).
As he writes in the Preface:
“No one wants to be told that it is their innate differences that are holding them back, but this is far better than being told that they are the same as everybody else and then failing to attain the same results. This produces anger, resentment, and hostility toward the people who are thought to be responsible. If it’s not our fault, they think, then it has to be someone else’s. And who else to blame but those “white folks.” The idea of equality is baked into the very fabric of modern societies, but it is one of the most pernicious doctrines ever formulated. We are not all the same and we should learn to live with that fact. Whites live with the fact they cannot compete with blacks on equal terms in our major sports, such as basketball or football, and they concede that black musical styles have swept through the entire world. They are also learning to live with the fact that people of Northeast Asian descent outcompete them educationally and now earn higher incomes than they do, either because they have a natural advantage in STEM intelligence or because Asian “tiger moms” push their children relentlessly. Well-to-do whites often choose to send their children to expensive private schools, but they frequently find that the majority, often the vast majority, of students in such schools are of Northeast Asian descent and are very difficult to compete with. They can either live with that fact or send their children elsewhere. Some do the one, some the other, but they seldom complain that Northeast Asians are somehow “discriminating” against them (or that there is such a thing as “Asian privilege”). At one time anti-Semitism was rife in America, but it has largely disappeared, at least overtly, and most white gentiles accept that Jews are the most competitive and successful people on earth, which is why they are over represented in the top occupational, income and leadership echelons in modern life. (Ashkenazi Jews have average IQ’s of about 112, the highest anywhere. They are also the most ambitious – the sky’s the limit.)
"Innate inequalities are fundamental to the human condition everywhere and have always been. These occur between human populations as well as between individuals. We can either learn to live with that fact or make ourselves miserable trying to deny it.” (p.16-17)
Stephen Sanderson (a retired - i.e. no longer worried about the professional cancel culture - sociology professor with 39 years experience) begins his book with acknowledgement of three pioneers in the field of race studies – Philippe Rushton, Richard Lynn and Tatu Vanhanen, and this sets the frame of reference for what follows; a courageous and straightforward presentation of the scientific facts surrounding issues of race and intelligence – summarizing a range of material and studies from old to cutting edge as well as some of Sanderson’s own research.
This is an excellent book, providing a wonderful overview of the subject, but it’s also really not a beginner’s book (more like a senior-level seminar with the expectation being the reader is already familiar with the basics of biology and statistical analysis, can think critically and leave their biases at the door). For someone without that grounding I’d recommending starting with Edward Dutton’s “Making Sense of Race”.
Sanderson begins by presenting the official statements of two different American Anthropological associations (in two sets of seven points), which assert that race is merely a “social construct” and not definable by physical characteristics. He then goes on to show that each of their points are false (and based on bad and/or wishful science), and that curiously only 25% of American biological anthropologists think race is a real thing, while 75% of Polish ones do, and 100% of Chinese ones do. The reason for this, of course, is that America has a history of obsession with race due to slavery (and the uniquely nationalistic – and misrepresented - ideal of “equality”), while Poland and China do not (although you can be sure the Chinese have their own notions of racial superiority, differences and hierarchies between themselves and both the spectrum of the clines of East Asian peoples and the rest of humanity).
Next he describes five common explanations (environmental based) for why the black/white performance gap continues to persist, but points out how each is incomplete and how the gap is more clearly and simply (Occam’s Razor) explained by the hereditary approach. And so it goes, step-by-step, deeper and deeper into what has increasingly become forbidden academic territory…(my favorite parts are the chapters where he covers the history and effects of slavery, and the various economic realities around the world).
Throughout Sanderson is a very good writer/teacher, presenting the material in an even, clear, complete, as well as kind way, the intent being that by knowing our actual racial differences we can reduce racial misunderstanding, fruitless competition and hostility (the roots of “racism”) and so come to a more mature position of acceptance (of “race realism”). After defining the foundations of race realism (i.e. empirical data of differences) in the first part of the book, he goes on to discuss more general issues of racial and ethnic groups (i.e. the historical context), and then in the final part addresses the political reality (i.e. that racial equality will NEVER be reached, anywhere, and that putting off facing that fact just exacerbates the social, political and racial conflict).
As he writes in the Preface:
“No one wants to be told that it is their innate differences that are holding them back, but this is far better than being told that they are the same as everybody else and then failing to attain the same results. This produces anger, resentment, and hostility toward the people who are thought to be responsible. If it’s not our fault, they think, then it has to be someone else’s. And who else to blame but those “white folks.” The idea of equality is baked into the very fabric of modern societies, but it is one of the most pernicious doctrines ever formulated. We are not all the same and we should learn to live with that fact. Whites live with the fact they cannot compete with blacks on equal terms in our major sports, such as basketball or football, and they concede that black musical styles have swept through the entire world. They are also learning to live with the fact that people of Northeast Asian descent outcompete them educationally and now earn higher incomes than they do, either because they have a natural advantage in STEM intelligence or because Asian “tiger moms” push their children relentlessly. Well-to-do whites often choose to send their children to expensive private schools, but they frequently find that the majority, often the vast majority, of students in such schools are of Northeast Asian descent and are very difficult to compete with. They can either live with that fact or send their children elsewhere. Some do the one, some the other, but they seldom complain that Northeast Asians are somehow “discriminating” against them (or that there is such a thing as “Asian privilege”). At one time anti-Semitism was rife in America, but it has largely disappeared, at least overtly, and most white gentiles accept that Jews are the most competitive and successful people on earth, which is why they are over represented in the top occupational, income and leadership echelons in modern life. (Ashkenazi Jews have average IQ’s of about 112, the highest anywhere. They are also the most ambitious – the sky’s the limit.)
"Innate inequalities are fundamental to the human condition everywhere and have always been. These occur between human populations as well as between individuals. We can either learn to live with that fact or make ourselves miserable trying to deny it.” (p.16-17)
March 2, 2024
Excellent book. There are correlations between multiple variables and IQ. To name a few IQ is related to GDP per capita, I use per capita because countries like India have a high GDP but most people live impoverished. IQ is also correlated at an individual level, it is correlated with cranial capacity and skin color. While skin color does not determine one's intelligence, the causal variable is the geographic location of said population. Lower latitude nations score lower on IQ tests and have very rudimentary societies. Sanderson notes in Sub-Saharan Africa, a matriarchal society, most of their diet is composed of gathered foodstuffs which are gathered using hoes and sticks not plows. As it can be seen the third world is destined towards backwardice. The Cold Winters Theory (CWT) explains the intellect of Europeans and Asians by the correlation between societal complexity through tool usage and cranial capacity/intelligence. Overall I would recommend this book to truly open-minded leftwingers and anyone who wants to take the racepill, it is a mind-opener.
April 9, 2023
Great Read
Let me start off by saying that I am Black and everything that was discussed in this book is true about the biological reality of race differences.
Let me start off by saying that I am Black and everything that was discussed in this book is true about the biological reality of race differences.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews