LEADER 04826nam 22006615 450 001 9910841861703321 005 20250807153035.0 010 $z9783031490545 010 $a9783031490552 010 $a303149055X 024 7 $a10.1007/978-3-031-49055-2 035 $a(CKB)30597445700041 035 $a(MiAaPQ)EBC31200945 035 $a(Au-PeEL)EBL31200945 035 $a(DE-He213)978-3-031-49055-2 035 $a(EXLCZ)9930597445700041 100 $a20240227d2024 u| 0 101 0 $aeng 135 $aurcn#|||||||| 181 $ctxt$2rdacontent 182 $cc$2rdamedia 183 $acr$2rdacarrier 200 10$aDarwin?s Racism, Sexism, and Idolization $eTheir Tragic Societal and Scientific Repercussions /$fby Rui Diogo 205 $a1st ed. 2024. 210 1$aCham :$cSpringer Nature Switzerland :$cImprint: Springer,$d2024. 215 $a1 online resource (439 pages) 311 08$a9783031490545 311 08$a3031490541 320 $aIncludes bibliographical references (pages 393-409) and index. 327 $a1. Science, society and Darwin?s idealization -- 2. Darwin?s society and science -- 3. Racism and its societal repercussions -- 4. Misogyny and its damaging legacy -- 5. Bringing reality to society and science. 330 $aIn this book Diogo, a renowned biologist and anthropologist, addresses a question that is critical for the understanding of science, beliefs, idolization, systemic racism and sexism, and our societies in general: why has Darwin been idolized in such a unique way, particularly by Western scholars? Diogo shows that many evolutionary 'facts' stated in Darwin's works, particularly about human evolution, are inaccurate constructions based on Victorian biases and stereotypes: non-Europeans are inferior, women have a lower intelligence than men, Victorian society was the pinnacle of evolution, and so on. Importantly, such inaccurate biased statements about our evolution are markedly in contrast with the mostly accurate, and often brilliant, ideas put forward by Darwin concerning non-human organisms. Importantly, it was precisely the combination of such brilliant ideas, the use of simplistic and sometimes exaggerated metaphors that were catchy and easily absorbed by the general public, and Darwin's intellectual conservatism and biased ideas about women and non-European peoples that led to Darwin's idolization, particularly by Western scientists, as well as to the darkest societal repercussions of his works. By portraying such biased ideas as ?evolutionary facts?, Darwin provided easy ammunition for populist political leaders, authoritarians, colonialists, and white supremacists to 'scientifically' defend social hierarchies, sexism, racism, discrimination, oppression, and segregation. A typical argument used to defend Darwin from portraying such erroneous sexist and racist ideas as ?facts? is that ?back then? everybody was racist and sexist. Diogo deconstructs this argument by providing enthralling case studies and travel descriptions by authors such as Wallace and Humboldt, who often praised the indigenous peoples that repulsed - and criticized the social hierarchies and Western imperialism that marveled - Darwin. The aim of this book is therefore not to 'cancel' Darwin or argue that he was always wrong: not at all, in general he was an extraordinary biologist, but was a much less successful anthropologist due in great part to his Victorian biases. Instead, the book discusses Darwin's writings, ideas, and their repercussions in a broader way, without taboos, omissions, idolization or demonization in order to show Darwin, and science in general, in all their complexity. This is because, if we fail to acknowledge and emphasize the biases, prejudices, inaccuracies, and abuses of our past, and merely continue to blindly idealize it, our kids will be condemned to undertake or suffer similar societal abuses in the future. 606 $aEvolution (Biology) 606 $aSocial evolution 606 $aReligion and science 606 $aAnthropology 606 $aEvolutionary Biology 606 $aCultural Evolution 606 $aSocial Evolution 606 $aReligion and Sciences 606 $aAnthropology 615 0$aEvolution (Biology) 615 0$aSocial evolution. 615 0$aReligion and science. 615 0$aAnthropology. 615 14$aEvolutionary Biology. 615 24$aCultural Evolution. 615 24$aSocial Evolution. 615 24$aReligion and Sciences. 615 24$aAnthropology. 676 $a508.092 700 $aDiogo$b Rui$0914898 801 0$bMiAaPQ 801 1$bMiAaPQ 801 2$bMiAaPQ 906 $aBOOK 912 $a9910841861703321 996 $aDarwin's Racism, Sexism, and Idolization$94142112 997 $aUNINA