Race, an etymological analysis

Etymology is a branch of linguistics that traces the origin, development, and changes over time of a word in a given language.  Race is a noun with one meaning being a population of species, including humans, or homo sapiens, that on the face of it, and as used in previous times having no implication of evaluation of the population on any specific aspect.

Only recently, the last century at most, has this term become fraught with affect, being far from the biological entity it had referred to in previous eras.  This is especially true in it's variation, when referring to a singular or cultural adjective or noun, specifically "racist or racism."  There are an wide array of words that have retained their common affect over long periods, and example being two words, "homosexual" and "Faggot."  The former had been neutral for centuries, while the later has been invidious for many decades, and perhaps longer.

The full title of the seminal work by Charles Darwin in 1859 is On the Origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favoured Races in the Struggle for Life.  Darwin use was biological, similar to the concept of "sub species" used today.  Those who focused on this particular area of the taxonomic spectrum were not referred to as being "racist" but if they chose to use the term in would be anodyne, without any assumption that their goal was other than understanding this rather complex concept of sub-species, 

This brings us to the point of this essay, which is examine the word, its referent in the literature of biological animal taxonomy and how the very word that had described one with an interest in this subject has taken on the stigma of vile hatred towards the object implied by the word itself- race, usually a specific one. 

There are those who would like the word to go away, and express this desire with, "Race is a human construct"  as if every word that we use is other than this.  Language itself is, of course, a human construct as no other species has managed the knack like we have."  Bowdlerization of words to make the meaning go away has been tried before, and it doesn't work.  Yet, to label one a racist is a solemn pronouncement of moral guilt, usually stated with either/and sadness or contempt.   

According to the article in Wikipedia, meaning it's been vetted by dozens of scholars who have reached a consensus, race is subsumed under sub-species as defined in this article that is based on the extensive article on taxonomy.  There are many, perhaps a majority of people who have strong opinions on this subject, and do not want to explore the word itself, its origin, or how it evolved into a central element of the culture wars that cover the Presidential election of 2020.  

This subject is so fraught as this essay is being written that the alternative terms for race all are invidious, meaning containing an assumption that evokes a strong emotional reaction that defies reasoned discourse.  This is illustrated by various dictionary definitions of sub-species, otherwise known as race, and thus such an individual is properly referred to as a "racist" as the suffix "ist" means one who explores a body of knowledge. 

While it is impossible to refute the biological differences among sub-species of homo sapiens; intellectual capacity, or intelligence is only gauged by the functioning of a single organ, the brain.  Average height, strength, vision, endurance or longevity can all be objectively determined, yet the attribute of cogitation, of capacity to manipulate information and ideas, require a more etherial process.  To negate the premise that different sub-species of homo-sapiens have differing cognitive abilities has not been definitively refuted.  Such cognitive ability is a word "intelligence"  that is measured by a calculation of the individual or sub-species/race over the average of all homo sapiens. 

It is here that I have come to the end of my essay,  since just as biology, and the attempt to classify all living creatures is an ongoing effort, the results will only affect those in the sterile world of academia, and not the living humans of various races who will bear the consequences of what has evolved in a central element of the cultural divide of the United States of America along with the entire world.  

We humans rely on illusions. For some it is a certainty of eternal life under the auspices of  a benevolent supernatural being.  For others it is the enjoyment of a life well lived, with the satisfaction of maybe even progeny who will benefit down the generations to come.  One rare illusion is the belief that one has something to contribute to society, a special truth that will save us all.  Among ancient Hebraic scholars this was promulgated to all of the Jewish children, that there will always be one in waiting for just that moment when God will call on him to save his creation.

Getting a handle on how various demographics think about God, a creator of ancient mythical proportions is not as easy as doing a survey, no matter how much resources are invested.  How the question is posed can change the percent of believers in God by a third.  This is described in the ongoing effort of the professional well funded Pew Research foundation, as described in this article that's long and complex

These are truly interesting, and challenging times.