From: Jim Devine
Just because the Euros had the tools that allowed them to conquer the Incas doesn't mean they were _forced_ to use them to do so. They could have chosen not to do so. So they -- we -- can't avoid the issue of moral responsibility. ^^^^^ CB: I think your statement here is very valid. Diamond may very well be correct on his geography hypothesis. But what geography gives a group of people doesn't force them to use it to dominate or conquer another group. How about looking at the objective characteristics of subjectivity or ideology. What was the Spanish historically derived ideology (culture as you term it below) ? Does the goal of accumulating wealth, including gold do it ? ^^^^^ If it's not geography which privileged the Euros, allowing them to conquer the Incas, what was it? ^^^^ CB: Guns, germs and steel ? ^^^^^ do Euros have a greater genetically-based proclivity to conquer other peoples? ^^^^^ CB: I hope not (smile) . I don't think there is any evidence of this. It would be a reverse-racist hypothesis. ^^^^^ do Euros have an inherently more expansionist culture? ^^^^^ CB: This would be my answer. It is based in the Greco-Roman historical legacy. or was it due to an over-determined combination of a bunch of causes? Or what? ^^^^^ CB: How abot the accidents of geography are an enabling cause and the ideology-culture is a "determining" cause ? ^^^^^^^ Didn't the Incas also conquer other peoples? ^^^^ CB: Yes _______________________________________________ pen-l mailing list [email protected] https://lists.csuchico.edu/mailman/listinfo/pen-l
