Does Race Exist?

After reading the article “Does Race Exist” and analyzing the data collected through lessons in class on evolution and on the origin of man, one question stood out from the rest: Can race be used as a genetic identifier for different ethnic groups?. My answer to this question is no. Classifying people based on their physical characteristics varies among individuals because they are based on their personal opinions of what is required to be a part of a certain race. Although you can argue that obvious characteristics such as skin color, and hair color, should enable people to come to similar conclusions, scientists debate that categorizing is not that simple. The reason for this can date back to the origins of man, and its immigration throughout the world.

           The first evidence of man can be found in Africa, the proposed birth place of the first human, before it began its great trek around the world. By implying that this theory is true, it suggests that all humans have an ancestral line that can be traced back to Africa. This concept contradicts the generalization that all “African-Americans” are black, since there is a possibility that “Europeans” share the same ancestor. Also, traits such as skin color and facial features are greatly influenced by natural selection. Different groups of people may be exposed to many variations of selective forces, causing their physical traits to be greatly modified. Although two different groups may appear to be different physically, it does not mean that they aren’t similar genetically. This can be further proved through the study of DNA and its many variations of polymorphisms (mutations). Polymorphisms are what can be used to help identify and group the differences between people. However, they do not always dictate a characteristic that can be physically seen or identified. Most Polymorphisms dictate subtle differences such as resistance to a certain disease or an allergy to a certain drug. For this reason, using traits such as skin color and hair color to genetically classify people will most likely result in incorrect data; possibly leading to harmful repercussions.