HUMAN VARIATION























Genotype HbAHbA HbAHbS HbSHbS
Relative Fitness 0.85 1.00 0.
Why? Susceptible
to malaria 		Resistant
to malaria 		Sickle-cell anemia
(usually fatal)






Drugs to avoid in G6PD Deficiency



  • ADAPTIVENESS of human variation:
    • Variation in body proportions: Bergmann's rule;  Allen's rule
    • Vitamin D, fish livers, cancer, and skin color
    • Physiological tolerances: Korean War, U.S. army studies
    • Blood pressure, BiDil, and "race-based medicine"   BiDil article
  • Interbreeding:   history;  benefits



  • CONTEMPORARY VIEWS:
    • Typology; Platonic types ("All of X are the same")
    • "Races don't exist"
    • "Races don't matter"
    • "Races deserve equal treatment"

= = = = =