The "Vanity of the Philosopher"

Why did the “progressive” nature of science get side tracked towards genocide? Peart-Levy explores the history of thought which changed the way science looked at the study of man. 

Main Point: The acceptance of Analytical Hierarchism over Analytical Egalitarianism, reflects a choice to see fellow human beings as racially inferior. This leads to some predictable fallacies when one’s stated aim is to research in the social sciences.

The book establishes the history of racism in social science. It also chronicles the debate over the persistence of eugenics admittedly absent in scholarly debate since, the Second World War.  

Charles Darwin titled his book: On the origin of Species by Means of Natural Selection, or the Preservation of Favored Races in the Struggle for Life. Advocates of Darwinism in social sciences explores the ways in which “progress” could be achieved by minimizing the contributions of the less favored genetic contributors. Once this is considered an ideal, it is not much of a leap to all out Eugenics. Combine these instincts with statistics and you have “proof” that certain races are inferior. Contemporary utilitarianism, Mill style, is suggested to offer ways out of this trap -- through sympathy.

A contribution of this book is the discussion on how man’s idea of what contributes to the race cannot be solved from a central locus. To plan the species would destroy it; the most informed “expert” does not have an idea of what ultimately works. The social philosopher must have the humility to admit that there is no recipe for “progress.” 

In the end Peart-Levy build the same case the public choice founders made, that people do not become angles when they make choices as agents for other people. We would be hypocrites as academics to say that politicians are self-interested when it comes to politics, without admitting that academics are self-interested when it comes to the academy. The social scientist never ceases to be a part of the material he is studying – there is no separation.

 

Quote: “…No person is a perfect guide for any other person.”

 

Also read: “How the Dismal Science got it’s name”