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Updated: Apr 29, 2026
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Author Spotlight: A Novel Setup to Conduct Naturalistic Laboratory Experiments with Real Human Actors in Scenarios
Published on: August 4, 2023
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Unnaturalised racial naturalism
1School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry, University of Sydney, Quadrangle A14, Sydney, N.S.W. 2006, Australia.
Summary
This study critiques Quayshawn Spencer's interpretation of racial naturalism, arguing his position lacks naturalistic grounding. The findings suggest Spencer's view on biological race is an "unnaturalised racial naturalism".
Area of Science:
- Philosophy of Science
- Race and Genetics
- Social Epistemology
Background:
- Racial naturalism requires a strong claim, like 'races are subspecies', to be a substantive position.
- Quayshawn Spencer's (2014) review misunderstands the author's treatment of racial naturalism.
- The author's original work acknowledges that not all race naturalists make strong claims.
Purpose of the Study:
- To address Quayshawn Spencer's misunderstanding of the author's argument on racial naturalism.
- To clarify the necessary conditions for a substantive racial naturalism.
- To analyze Spencer's weaker form of racial naturalism and its argumentative basis.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical analysis of the concept of racial naturalism.
- Critique of Spencer's arguments supporting his version of racial naturalism.
- Examination of the 'naturalistic' criteria for race concepts.
Main Results:
- Spencer's interpretation of racial naturalism is deemed a misunderstanding of the author's position.
- Spencer's arguments for his preferred racial naturalism are not 'naturalistic'.
- Spencer's view is characterized as an 'unnaturalised racial naturalism'.
Conclusions:
- A substantive racial naturalism necessitates a strong claim, such as the subspecies view.
- Spencer's weaker racial naturalism, while rejecting subspecies, relies on non-naturalistic arguments.
- The debate highlights the importance of defining 'naturalism' in the context of race concepts.
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