Racialism Essays - Social Constructionism, Kinship And Descent

Racialism Appiah addresses the issues of racialism, intrinsic racism, and extrensic racism in his article entitled RACISMS. However, after analyzing Appiah's views on racism and its different forms, his views on the theoretical validity of racialism and extrinsic racism are seriously doubted. Appiah defines racialism as "the view that there are essentail characteristics that allow us to classify people into distinct races, each of which shares certain traits and tendencies". On this topic, Appiah thinks that this theory, or way of categorizing people is false. He thinks that it is merely an excuse for people to practice types of racism. Among the two most distinct types of racism are intrinsic and extrinsic. Intrinsic racism consists of people who differentiate morally between members of different races because they "believe that each race has a different moral status, quite independent of the moral characteristics entailed by its racial essence." For the intrinsic racist there is no moral, intellectual, cultural, or perhaps even physical trait or act in relevancy to a member of another race that would merit equal treament. Extrinsic racists make moral distinctions between members of other races because they believe that the racial essence entails certain morally relevant qualities. The extrinsic racist's discrimintation stems from the belief that different races are different genetically, and these genetic differences constitute different treatment and expectations. Even with evidence that states otherwise, evidence that points that a person of another race is intelligent, or noble, there is nothing that can deter the extrinsic racist's perceptions about those of another race. But, the extrinsic racist may in fact have friends or loved ones in that race.It is this belief that leads Appiah to believe that these individuals have a "cognitive incapacity", or an inability to reason. Appiah comments early on that racialism is a false concept, or view. His grounds for his claim is that it serves as a presupposition to two types of racism, extrinsic and intrinsic. However, he is only keeping in consideration a few results and purposes of racialism. When Appiah looks at racialism, he sees that it is a science that allows us to classify people into distinct races based on character traits and tendencies. In his perspective, this serves no further purpose but to validate racism, and that it is a concept that is false in theory. The truth of the matter is there are certain obvious differences based on race. Most apparent is skin color, and other physical characteristics like hair, eyes, lips, etc. That fact alone weakens Appiah's argument racialism is false. This weakens Appiah's argument because when he says that racialism is false in theory, part of what he saying that either there are no traits that allow us to classify people into races. Certain physical characteristics are evident in races and allows us to classify by race. The second part of Appiah's argument regarding racialism is that racialism also classifies on character tendencies originating from race. It is generally agreed that race had no create character tendencies, morals, and actions. However, race can indirectly play a role in the development of many characteristics. Race is becoming less of a factor as more and more people engage in racial mixed relationships. But it is a factor. Certain races are more inclined to be a part of certain cultures, with their own respective value systems. For instance, being born Chinese does not automatically make you good at kung-fu, give you more of a natural ability to draw, or a more respectable person. However, due to the history of the chinese, and the culture behind it their are certain traits that a chinese individual would be more likely to take on. Chinese may be more likey to draw well because of calligraphy, in which every word is basically a little picture. this obviously would help to develop control over the pen. The culture of the chinese has a very heavy influence on respecting one's parents and the elderly, which would undoubtably make older individuals seem more honorable or wise. So in that case, race does indeed have an impact on character tendencies and behavior. It shows that race can have a connection to culture and upbringing, which does relate to the type of person that will develop. This is where Appiah's theory that racialism is a presupposition to to racism comes into play. These cultural characteristics can easily be mistaken for racial characteristics. Also, none of these traits are absolute, or definate. Culture does not have the power to dictate a person's morality, behavior, and abilities, but it can influence these things.