Are Classifications Invented or a Discovery?

People have always investigated and relied their life on scientific facts to make sense of this world’s existence. Unless scientific evidence is not given, people do not accept that fact as a part of reality or existence. Due to human brains, scientific explanations have classified every single object and natural species into classifications that evolve and change according to humanity’s choice. Scientific research has been humanity’s norm ever since history and it still continues in the present day. Heldke and Kellert, two philosophers, refer to their three-part proposal that acknowledges objectivity as a responsibility. Their three-step proposal first accepts the inquirer’s goals and comprehensive rationalities, then with evidence, the inquirer must respond to the public's challenges, and lastly, he must seek out the silenced. They believe that an inquiry must depend upon epistemic pluralism which affirms that there is a reality. It depends upon ‘dynamic nominalism’ which claims that certain classifications never existed in nature; it was humans who invented terminologies and labelled species, groups, and others in order to carve out their way of life. Therefore, their main goal is to be responsible and acknowledge biases towards such inquiry and hold values and goals in order to reach their outcome. In this paper, I argue the strong impact of scientific categories on human life; especially black people, Indigenous people, and disabled people who are categorized as helpless or acknowledged as people according to the accepted classification given to them depending on the era.

To begin with, scientific categories have forever ruled this world, especially black people who are elevated or demeaned to various extents according to the classifications given by inquirers depending on the period. It is predicted that around the 1600s, African black people were often enslaved and shipped to European countries where they were sold to a white master who exploited and treated them worse than animals. They were more used as a labour source due to their African race and did not deserve freedom. (Slavery in America, 2009). In 1851, a physician named Samuel Cartwright had labelled black people as a maniac, having a disease named drapetomania that claimed that they had “ smaller brains and blood vessels, and [had the] tendency toward indolence and barbarism” (Ruane, 2019). This theory further encouraged the African slave trade, and people failed to see Black people as equal to the rest of humanity, rather they were demeaned and acknowledged closer to apes and monkeys because of their ‘disease’. (Ruane, 2019). White masters abused them in every unimaginable way with extreme incivility and brutality. In America, Alabama, black and whites were separated in every aspect of society where whites had gained more superiority than the latter. However, as centuries passed, people gained common sense; they severely protested and slavery was abolished causing black people to be accepted in society as humans, but racism and biases still exist today . To sum it up, this dynamic nominalism follows Heldke and Kellert’s proposals. It first took people's beliefs and biases into account, then researches were done, a disease was invented for them, countless challenges were responded to, and at last, the silenced blacks were sought and heard. Today, responsibility for this objectivity was taken and anti-black racism protests are almost being supported by everyone.

Furthermore, Indigenous people were also classified in a similar manner by the whites. They were considered as their fur trading partners, and also ‘savages’ or ‘Indians’ who failed to meet their smart and civilized standards of humanity due to their unique traditions and clothing. Treaties were ensued with fake promises and whites even used Indigenous people for wars and later conquered Canada, demeaning their basic rights and freedom. They were left under harsh conditions suffering in poverty and ailments. Their culture differed and seemed abnormal to the white people’s naked eye causing their entire race to be seen under a racist view. Residential schools were built to bring them to ‘civilization’ which rather spread intergenerational trauma and the death of many Indigenous people. According to Heldke and Kellert’s proposals, first Indigenous people were viewed by countless noblemen and were immediately labelled as people with no etiquette and manners, actions were taken to bring them into a civilization which backfired, and researchers began examining the result which allowed them to notice the damage, and lastly, the silenced were heard. With responsibility, people have come to their senses and have acknowledged their biased opinions towards them. Today, educational Indigenous classes are being held in universities and schools, and anti-racism protests are held wide across Canada.

Finally, people in wheelchairs are also one of the classified people who are labelled ‘disabled’ and are looked down upon due to their need for accommodation. In the past, many people with disability “suffered abuse and neglect, substantial health and safety conditions, deprivation of rights, forms of electroshock therapy, painful restraints, negligent seclusion and experimental treatments and procedures”. (Treatment of Disabled People throughout History - Changes in the Views of Disability, n.d). Medically, today people who are mentally impaired or have psychological issues also use wheelchairs. However, people automatically assume that a wheelchair represents those who are incapable of movement or simply have a mental disability. Workplaces often refuse these people with wheelchairs believing they cannot meet their expectations in all aspects, and many societal institutions exclude them from their congregation. However, people fail to understand that wheelchairs do not represent a person abnormal, however, most people interpret them as mentally and physically disabled people who are in dire need of continuous assistance. This is an irresponsible inquiry, and it should be an inquiry that needs responsibility to be improved. Patients using wheelchairs use pluralism to express their problems and differently identify themselves, not everyone suffers from a specific issue. Not everyone is mentally or physically impaired for life, and it does not mean they should be considered weak or be excluded from society. If society accepted them as able, they would perhaps fit in with no problem. These labels are invented by people who do not acknowledge their biases and further build an unfair pluralism in the world that generates hierarchies, accepting some and excluding others.

In conclusion, invented scientific classification has created a pluralism in humanity, representing some as accepted humans while others are not. For instance, with classification, humanity has demeaned certain groups of people like Indigenous, black, and disabled people, while considering white people superior. These dynamic classifications provided by noblemen, inquirers, healthcare givers have influenced the world into categories and groups, these groups of people are treated as instructed by their scientific classification. Ever since the past, and even today, the higher class have always gained privilege, and their comprehensive rationalities and scientific researches are often always accepted due to their knowledge and education. Also, when challenged, they easily respond with scientific evidence. However, people failed to seek out the silenced in the past which has spread wider injustice and unfair classification. Today, since people are being sought and heard, people are focusing on accepting equality which is still quite a tough task. Classifications are evolving with time, being invented and accepted according to humanity’s choice. Sometimes these are irresponsible inquiries, which fail to take responsibility and exclude others out of humanity. All in all, it is not about blindly accepting these scientific facts, rather acknowledging one’s biases and taking responsibility to bring a justifiable classification for each category.