Author makes case against race to local audience

(CNS): Local author Guy P. Harrison recently presented an enthusiastic and enlightening lecture about his latest book, “Race and Reality,” at Books and Books, Camana Bay. Harrison presented the case that races are inconsistent and illogical culturalcreations rather than the natural biological categories that most people around the world still believe them to be. He described his book as a sweeping survey of the scientific arguments against common race belief. Harrison’s lecture was followed by a lively question and answer session. After that he signed copies of his book.

“Anthropologists have been saying for decades now that races are not real and that it makes no sense to tie things such as intelligence and behavior to skin color or hair type,” Harrison told the large turnout at the Grand Cayman bookstore. “We are a very young species and too closely related to justify racial categories. There are no boundaries between us other than the ones we imagined and created. The science is clear about this. Biological races are not real.”

He said,  “I’m very grateful to Books and Books for inviting me to do this. It was very well organized and I had fun. I was happy to see so many people show up. Holly Smith and Bianca Freeland did an excellent job putting the event together.”

“Race and Reality” has already earned high praise from the academic community. “For decades scientists have amassed evidence demonstrating that the human species has no races,” says Jefferson M. Fish, Professor Emeritus of Psychology, St. John’s University. “Harrison’s book makes this knowledge accessible, and knocks the props out from under scientific arguments that have been used to justify racism.”

“Guy Harrison’s well-written and passionate plea for eliminating the idea and ideology of race should be widely read,” adds Audrey Smedley, Virginia Commonwealth University Professor Emerita of Anthropology and African-American Studies. “He has shown that the idea of race not only is contradicted by science but is a social anachronism that should not be tolerated by society in the 21st century.”

“Race and Reality: What Everyone Should Know about Our Biological Diversity” is Guy’s second book. His first book, “50 Reasons People Give for Believing in a God,” was an Amazon bestseller in its category in the US, UK, France, Germany, Canada, and Japan. In the United States, it even surpassed Richard Dawkins’ international bestseller “The God Delusion” for a time.