CL 2/13

• QUESTIONS ABOUT THE TEXT
• I don’t understand the mismeasure of men besides the fact that its trying to find a distinction between science and behavioral influences on intelligence.
• I did not complete the reading for Plessy v Firguson, therefor I have no idea what happened in the reading. I will be completing the annotation tonight.

• How does Gould define biological determinism? (page 52) “it holds that shared behavior norms, and the social and economic differences between human groups- primarily races, classes, and sexes – arise from inhibited, inborn distractions and that society, in this sense, is an accurate reflection of biology” (52).
• What are the two major sources of data that have supported this theme known as biological determinism? (page 52) Craniometry (measure of the skull) and Psychological testing.
• What have biological determinists invoked when it comes to the issue of race? (page 52) They spoke about how the white mans skull is bigger than a black one’s which would mean that white men are more superior.
• According to Gould on page 53, biological determinism is useful for: utility for groups in power.
• According to Gould on page 53, for the adherents of biological determinism, changes to a social and political system based on a racial caste system seen as an extension of nature is: enormous costs for individuals psychologically AND enormous cost for society economically.
• Gould’s arguments against biological determinism begin by attacking which two fallacies? (page 56) Reification and ranking
• In the last paragraph of page 56, what does Gould write is his book is about (his explanation continues onto page 57)? disadvantages of “disadvantaged groups—races , classes, or sexes—are innately inferior and deserve their status. In short, this book is about the Mismeasure of Man” (57).

• Finish this sentence, which can be found on page 59: “In most cases discussed in this book, we can be fairly certain that biases—though often expressed as egregiously as in cases of fraud—were unknowingly influential and that scientists believed they were pursuing unsullied truth.
• On page 60, Gould describes biological determinism as a theory of limits. What does he mean by that? What he meant by that was that, ” it takes current status of groups as a measure of where they should and must be” (60).

Plessy v Ferguson

• According to Brook Thomas, the editor of Plessy v. Ferguson: A Brief History with Documents, what were the problems with laws designed to keep races separate (hint: it deals with the concept of skin color and “passing”)? (page 3)
• What did Albion Tourgee want the Supreme Court to do when it came to segregation laws? (page 4)
• Why was Homer Plessy chosen as a test case? (page 4)
• Why did Justice John Ferguson rule in favor of Daniel F. Desdunes riding a train over state lines but against Homer Plessy, who rode a train within the borders of Louisiana? (page 5)
• What is the difference between a social right, a political right, and a civil right? (page 12)
• Why does Congress pass a civil rights act? (page 13)
• According to Charles Walter Collins, what did the 14th Amendment do? (page 14)
• Which group was the first to bring a case before the Supreme Court citing a violation of their rights under the 13th and 14th Amendments (hint: it wasn’t African Americans)? (page 18.)