Linnaeus on Human Diversity - Evolving Views and Classifications

Explore Carl Linnaeus's evolving views on human diversity in this Founder's Day Lecture from the Linnean Society. Delve into Linnaeus's 1735 proposal for classifying humankind by skin color and geographic origin in his System of Nature. Examine the interests and motivations behind his classification of humans, and gain insight into his worldview and perception of human diversity. Trace the development of Linnaeus's ideas throughout his lifetime, including his tendency to rank human varieties based on cultural and political achievements, as well as his fascination with environmental and cultural influences on humans. Consider the complexities of Linnaeus's perspective, which challenges simple categorization as a modern scientific racist. Learn from historians Isabelle Charmantier and Staffan Müller-Wille as they present Linnaeus's unique viewpoint on humanity, shaped by his distinctly parochial vantage point rather than a metropolitan scientist's privileged position.