The Meanings and Values of Race: Pluralism and Social Melioration Pubblico

Abstract

Abstract

The Meanings and Values of Race: Pluralism and Social Melioration

By Mark Fagiano

In chapter one, I explore various histories of Western science to uncover six common motifs of eighteenth century race science. In chapter two, I explain how this model of race-science was called into question and eventually replaced by another paradigm, a pre-Mendelian and Darwinian evolutionary model. By the mid-to-late nineteenth century, this evolutionary model established an entirely different idea of biological race marked by (a) a processional notion of species, (b) the use of different methods to determine what constitutes a "race" of people, (c) a definition of race based on the struggle for existence and natural selection, (d) morphology as a social sign of the strength or weakness of a race, and as a consequence, (e) the consideration that certain races--or a mixture of races--will contribute to the demise or degeneration of the best form of government.

In chapter three, I explain a second epistemic break in scientific race studies, namely, a break from a pre-Mendelian evolutionary framework to one where the meaning of race is conceived from the perspective of the gene; and further explicate the rise of a a linguistic-conceptual tendency called eliminativism. In chapter four, I turn to the emergence of a different linguistic-conceptual tendency and vision of melioration, referred to in the literature as retentionism or conservationism.

In the final chapter, I offer an alternative to both eliminativism and retentionism by turning to the philosophical pragmatism of William James. I argue that four dynamics of James's thought, i.e., relationalism, radical empiricism/pluralism, pragmatism, and social meliorism are helpful for overcoming the limits of the discursive dilemma between eliminativism and retentionism. I then turn to explain a methodological approach I refer to as pragmatic contextualism. I conclude by examining the social practice of racial profiling and suggest that the value of race discourse ought to be judged by both its ameliorative aims and the social consequences it helps produce.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

I. Introduction……………………………………………………………………1-9

II. Chapter One…………………………………………………………….......10-65

III. Chapter Two……………………………………………………………....66-119

IV. Chapter Three………………………………………………………………………………120-176 V. Chapter Four…………………………………………………………………………………177-232 VI. Chapter Five………………………………………………………………………………...233-294 VII. Bibliography……………………………………………………………………………….294-303

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School	Laney Graduate School
Department	Philosophy
Degree	PhD
Submission	Dissertation
Language	English
Research Field	Philosophy
Parola chiave	Pluralism Enlightenment William James Racism Philosophy of Science Pragmatism Race
Committee Chair / Thesis Advisor	Stuhr, John J, Emory University
Committee Members	Rogers, Melvin L, Emory University Taylor, Paul C., Penn State Willett, Cynthia, Emory University McAfee, Noelle C, Emory University

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