You don't need a brain to be a racist...

[lexico]

if you look at the sea squirt. Could this be evidence that racists lack a brain ? Does it follow from this that racism can be more chemical than cultural, ideological, or moral, ie. not caused by mental activity of an individual decision out of free will ?

Kin Recognition pdf, p. 3

SEA SQUIRTS are marine animals that lack brains but can nonetheless identify their kin using chemical cues. Two organisms occasionally attempt to join to gether, an endeavor that is successful only if the two animals are related.
...
Studies of certain tunicates, or sea squirts, specifically Botryllus schlosseri, show that these marine animals use genetic labels to identify relatives. Tunicates lack a brain, thus proving that kin recognition does not depend on mental complexity.

Sea squirts begin life as planktonic larvae that eventually settle on a rock and multiply asexually to form an interconnected colony of structurally and genetically identical animals. Occasionally, two colonies will attempt to fuse; large organisms survive better than small ones, so combining with others is apparently beneficial.

Richard K. Grosberg and James F. Quinn of the Univer sity of California at Davis discovered that the larvae settle near and merge with genetically similar organisms. If a tunicate attempts to join another, unre lated colony, the second tunicate emits toxic substances that repel the
invader.

David W. Pfennig and Paul W. Sherman
Copyright 1995 Scientific American, Inc.

 

[Maciamo]

Love exist due to chemical reactions in the brain. Love and hate are usually closely interrelated, and one can pass from love to hate due to an emotional shock/change. What is more love-hate relationships also happen. Racism is a form of hate - the reverse of love. So, IMHO, there could be a connection between brain chemistry and racism. Going further, we could say that every single thought or emotion is a chemical reaction. Now, why do some people react differently to the same stimuli is where the question becomes interesting. A partial answer is that each brain is genetically different from birth (different shape, number of neurons, neural sensitivity, etc.), and that each person's experience since birth further differentiate their cerebral structure. Knowing this, it seems that we have no free will anyway (it's just an illusion, like the concept of an eternal soul).

 

[den4]

chemical racism? Hmm....the military would love to bottle that, I'm sure....

perhaps racism could also be caused by a short in the brain's electrical stability, kind of like how the brains of those with obsessional compulsive disorders tend to overwork and get stuck in its rituals, whereas the normal brain tends to overcome and avoid such unpleasantries...

 

[lexico]

chemical racism? Hmm....the military would love to bottle that, I'm sure....

Well not exactly racism-inducing chemicals as shown in the example above, but the military have used (meth)amphetamines, I heard.

perhaps racism could also be caused by a short in the brain's electrical stability, kind of like how the brains of those with obsessional compulsive disorders tend to overwork and get stuck in its rituals,

Electrical potential in a nervous system is chemical by way of select elements in Group 1A (alkali metals: sodium, potassium) and 2 (alkaline earth metals: magnesium, calcium, barium), so basically electricty becomes a subset of chemistry in this case unless we're talking about a hybrid organism like an android.

By "obsessional compulsive disorder" do you mean OCD or OCPD ?
If the former, there is a similarity between the two kinds of behavior if the element of "fear" is present, and possibly ritual behavior. If the latter, you would be saying that racist behavior is a personality trait and pertains to the following description.

DEFINITION of Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD), or anankastic personality disorder:

A personality disorder that is characterized by a general psychological inflexibility, rigid conformity to rules and procedures, perfectionism, and excessive orderliness.

Obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OCPD) is often confused with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). While the names sound similar, these are actually two quite different disorders. Those who are suffering from OCPD do not generally feel the need to repeatedly perform ritualistic actions (such as excessive hand-washing), while this is a common symptom of OCD. Instead, people with OCPD tend to stress perfectionism above all else, and feel anxious when they perceive that things aren't "right".

People with OCPD may hoard money, keep their home perfectly organized, or be anxious about delegating tasks for fear that they won't be completed correctly. There are few moral grey areas for a person with OCPD; actions and beliefs are either completely right, or absolutely wrong. As might be expected, interpersonal relationships are difficult because of the excessive demands placed on friends, romantic partners, and children.
...
DIAGNOSIS of obsessive compulsive personality disorder:

a "pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental and interpersonal control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency, beginning by early adulthood and present in a variety of contexts, as indicated by four (or more) of the following:

-is preoccupied with details, rules, lists, order, organization, or schedules to the extent that the major point of the activity is lost

-shows perfectionism that interferes with task completion (e.g., is unable to complete a project because his or her own overly strict standards are not met)

-is excessively devoted to work and productivity to the exclusion of leisure activities and friendships (not accounted for by obvious economic necessity)

-is overconscientious, scrupulous, and inflexible about matters of morality, ethics, or values (not accounted for by cultural or religious identification)

-is unable to discard worn-out or worthless objects even when they have no sentimental value

-is reluctant to delegate tasks or to work with others unless they submit to exactly his or her way of doing things

-adopts a miserly spending style toward both self and others; money is viewed as something to be hoarded for future catastrophes

-shows rigidity and stubbornness

It is important to note that while a person may exhibit any or all of the characteristics of a personality disorder, it is not diagnosed as a disorder unless the person has trouble leading a normal life due to these issues.

whereas the normal brain tends to overcome and avoid such unpleasantries...

What are the standards by which you define a normal person ? The personal choice of ethical formulation described above is called hedonism in that the person subscribing to it regards "whatever causes pleasure is right and whatever causes distress is wrong," very much like Baloo the Bear singing "Why work ? You're trying too hard if you're posting more than once a day. Just wait, and justice will come to you (or to whomever deserves it)."

Yes I know what you are trying to say, den4; a person without the strength, or balance if you will, might collapse like Iris Chang after years of draining, sombre work that only victim families can truely appreciate. But there's also a limit to how much "supression-slighting of fact and recurring ignorance-insensitivities" can be tolerated. I have nothing against balance; as long as ignorance doesn't repeat itself in increasing measures. This is not specifically aimed at you by the way. ☝

Still yours is a very interesting idea that racism is more a disease than a result of free will. If that can be proven scientifically, one less kind of work for the legal industry and one more for the head-shrinking industry.

 

[den4]

how do I define normal? Anybody who is unlike me