Are some races inherently superior to others?

[Mike the Progressive]

Yes. The Borg are perfection. Resistance is futile.
[/Nerd]

Excelsior!

[Conscentia]

There is no such thing as race. /genetics
http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v36/n11s/full/ng1435.html

[Diopolis]

Yes. The Borg are perfection. Resistance is futile.
[/Nerd]

The weak will perish!

[Aurora Novus]

Race does not even exist. There is not enough genetic variation in homo sapiens to divide them into separate subgroups. Race is nothing more than the result of conquering Europeans seeking bogus justification for their imperialism and colonization of foreign lands. It is a socially constructed con, not a biological reality.

So no, some races are not "superior", because there are not separate races to begin with.

[Anachronous Rex]

Yes. The Borg are perfection. Resistance is futile.
[/Nerd]

The weak will perish!

I hate that I get that reference.

[The Tectonic Plates]

Yes. The Borg are perfection. Resistance is futile.
[/Nerd]

At least they aren't Romulans.

Fucking Romulans.

[Evraim]

There is no such thing as race. /genetics
http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v36/n11s/full/ng1435.html

Yes. Race exists as a sociological concept. The fact that it is not a biological reality does not mean that it does not exist.

[The Tectonic Plates]

"Races" aren't inherently superior to each other, Cultures, Nations and Individuals however, may be inherently superior to each other.

You do realize that culture is a sociological construct and that the nation is a socio-political construct, yes? Likewise, we would have to define the term "superior".

I'm well aware of that, and the point stands. Some nations are better than others and some cultures are better than others.

[The Tectonic Plates]

There is no such thing as race. /genetics
http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v36/n11s/full/ng1435.html

Yes. Race exists as a sociological concept. The fact that it is not a biological reality does not mean that it does not exist.

As someone who passed eight grade genetics, I dislike how race is treated. It's one phenotype expression, yet that one phenotypic expression has affected humanity for so long, and caused so much suffering.

[St George]

No. Stupid question. /thread.

Welp, that /thread went well.

[Diopolis]

Yes. The Borg are perfection. Resistance is futile.
[/Nerd]

At least they aren't Romulans.

Fucking Romulans.

What's wrong with the Romulans? They're easily my favorite star trek species.

[The Tectonic Plates]

At least they aren't Romulans.

Fucking Romulans.

What's wrong with the Romulans? They're easily my favorite star trek species.

Bloody bastards, all of them should be shot, every single one of them.

[Diopolis]

What's wrong with the Romulans? They're easily my favorite star trek species.

Bloody bastards, all of them should be shot, every single one of them.

Doesn't answer the question.

[The Tectonic Plates]

Bloody bastards, all of them should be shot, every single one of them.

Doesn't answer the question.

They're Romans, in fucking space. How can you not hate that?

[Constaniana]

Yes. Quite absolutely, in fact. The 100 metre Olympic finals, for instance, are far superior to some kids running from a tree to the mailbox and back. *nods*

[St George]

Bloody bastards, all of them should be shot, every single one of them.

Doesn't answer the question.

Presumably he lost family when the Romulans attacked Khitomer.

[Aurora Novus]

There is no such thing as race. /genetics
http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v36/n11s/full/ng1435.html

Yes. Race exists as a sociological concept. The fact that it is not a biological reality does not mean that it does not exist.

Yes it does. An illusion does not exist because people think it is real. They may believe it is real, treat it like it is real, and govern their lives off the assumption it is real; but that does not make it any less of an illusion, a fabrication.

To put it in perspective, by your reasoning, if enough people thought having red hair meant you were of a separate race, it would be so. Would you not agree this is folly?

[The Tectonic Plates]

Yes. Race exists as a sociological concept. The fact that it is not a biological reality does not mean that it does not exist.

Yes it does. An illusion does not exist because people think it is real. They may believe it is real, treat it like it is real, and govern their lives off the assumption it is real; but that does not make it any less of an illusion, a fabrication.

Race is the phenotype expression of skin colour, while it exists, I don't think it should matter all that much. It's one phenotype expression, just one that is fairly visible.

[Conscentia]

Doesn't answer the question.

They're Romans, in fucking space. How can you not hate that?

I like the Romans. They should just stay in their own time.

[Anachronous Rex]

They're Romans, in fucking space. How can you not hate that?

I like the Romans. They should just stay in their own time.

Nah.

[Conscentia]

There is no such thing as race. /genetics
http://www.nature.com/ng/journal/v36/n11s/full/ng1435.html

Yes. Race exists as a sociological concept. The fact that it is not a biological reality does not mean that it does not exist.

Race is a biological concept that has been disproven.
Just like geocentrism & spontaneous generation have been disproven.

[Aurora Novus]

Yes it does. An illusion does not exist because people think it is real. They may believe it is real, treat it like it is real, and govern their lives off the assumption it is real; but that does not make it any less of an illusion, a fabrication.

Race is the phenotype expression of skin colour...

Not so. Race deals with specifically the sub classification of a species, based upon major biological variations amongst groups, for the purposes of convenience in identification. Simply having different skin colour does not make one of a separate "race", as it is not enough variation to warrant sub classification. By this logic, when someone tans, they temporarily change races.

[Conscentia]

I like the Romans. They should just stay in their own time.

Nah.

BBC America won't let me see that.

[The Tectonic Plates]

Race is the phenotype expression of skin colour...

Not so. Race deals with specifically the sub classification of a species, based upon major biological variations amongst groups, for the purposes of convenience in identification. Simply having different skin colour does not make one of a separate "race", as it is not enough variation to warrant sub classification. By this logic, when someone tans, they temporarily change races.

While those other physical traits do come with it, what makes or breaks the definition is most often skin colour. Also no, phenotype expressions refer to what is caused by genetics, tanning doesn't change your genetics.

EDIT: Scientifically, you are correct, however with popular usages; race is generally defined by skin colour.

[Aurora Novus]

Not so. Race deals with specifically the sub classification of a species, based upon major biological variations amongst groups, for the purposes of convenience in identification. Simply having different skin colour does not make one of a separate "race", as it is not enough variation to warrant sub classification. By this logic, when someone tans, they temporarily change races.

While those other physical traits do come with it, what makes or breaks the definition is most often skin colour.

Again, no, that's not correct at all. Skin colour itself has little to do with how biologists classify a species' subspecies.

Allow me to quote the Human Genome Project on this.

"DNA studies do not indicate that separate classifiable subspecies (races) exist within modern humans. While different genes for physical traits such as skin and hair color can be identified between individuals, no consistent patterns of genes across the human genome exist to distinguish one race from another. There also is no genetic basis for divisions of human ethnicity. People who have lived in the same geographic region for many generations may have some alleles in common, but no allele will be found in all members of one population and in no members of any other."

Also no, phenotype expressions refer to what is caused by genetics, tanning doesn't change your genetics.

True, my error.