Language:
English
Year of publication:
2021
Titel der Quelle:
Philosophia; Philosophical Quarterly of Israel
Angaben zur Quelle:
49,4 (2021) 1329-1344
Keywords:
Macdonald, Kevin,
;
Antisemitism Philosophy
;
Jews Intellectual life
;
Ethnocentrism
;
Liberalism
Abstract:
According to the mainstream narrative about race, all groups have the same innate dispositions and potential, and all disparities—at least those favoring whites - are due to past or present racism. Some people who reject this narrative gravitate toward an alternative, anti-Jewish narrative, which sees recent history in terms of a Jewish/gentile conflict. The most sophisticated promoter of the anti-Jewish narrative is the evolutionary psychologist Kevin MacDonald. MacDonald argues that Jews have a suite of genetic adaptations—including high intelligence and ethnocentrism—and cultural practices that lead them to undermine gentile society to advance their own evolutionary interests. He says that Jewish-designed intellectual movements have weakened gentile identity and culture while preserving Jewish identity and separatism. Cofnas recently argued that MacDonald’s theory is based on “systematically misrepresented sources and cherry-picked facts.” However, Cofnas gave short shrift to at least three key claims: (a) Jews are highly ethnocentric, (b) liberal Jews hypocritically advocate liberal multiculturalism for gentiles/gentile countries but racial purity and separatism for Jews/Israel, and (c) Jews are responsible for liberalism and mass immigration to the United States. The present paper examines these claims and concludes that MacDonald’s views are not supported.
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