I always assumed they would consider different species to be about the same as different races or maybe even different tribes. They don’t know about genetics; who’s to say “hairy” isn’t just another skin color?
Huh that makes me wonder, how different even were the races within Homo sapiens during those days? I kind of always assumed that there wasn’t as much difference back then because the species hadn’t had much time to diversify yet, but no idea where that assumption comes from. Really should look it up
The lines between species don’t exist outside of our own minds. We simply make distinctions based on what our needs might be. If it’s tracing the prehistoric ancestry of humanoids, the “species” designations help us keep track of those peoples. If it’s reinforcing white supremacy, drawing harsh distinctions between different humans is very useful for legitimizing oppression.
This is actually bigger than evolutionary science, as all systems of understanding are fundamentally constructed. They’re all tools made by our brains to help us navigate a world of near infinite complexity. That doesn’t mean they aren’t useful, it just means that we must always be ready to change them. The scientific method will bring theory in line with reality eventually, as accurate understandings are generally more useful. However, there will always be unfortunate truths that people would rather ignore. Only by showing the value of a truth and providing space for it will that truth finally be accepted.
I always assumed they would consider different species to be about the same as different races or maybe even different tribes. They don’t know about genetics; who’s to say “hairy” isn’t just another skin color?
Huh that makes me wonder, how different even were the races within Homo sapiens during those days? I kind of always assumed that there wasn’t as much difference back then because the species hadn’t had much time to diversify yet, but no idea where that assumption comes from. Really should look it up
The lines between species don’t exist outside of our own minds. We simply make distinctions based on what our needs might be. If it’s tracing the prehistoric ancestry of humanoids, the “species” designations help us keep track of those peoples. If it’s reinforcing white supremacy, drawing harsh distinctions between different humans is very useful for legitimizing oppression.
This is actually bigger than evolutionary science, as all systems of understanding are fundamentally constructed. They’re all tools made by our brains to help us navigate a world of near infinite complexity. That doesn’t mean they aren’t useful, it just means that we must always be ready to change them. The scientific method will bring theory in line with reality eventually, as accurate understandings are generally more useful. However, there will always be unfortunate truths that people would rather ignore. Only by showing the value of a truth and providing space for it will that truth finally be accepted.
Same, I should too lol