The existence of any pure race with special endowments is a myth, as is the belief that there are races all of whose members are foredoomed to eternal inferiority. — Franz Boas Copy Share Image
The passion for seeking the truth for truth's sake...can be kept alive only if we continue to seek the truth for truth's sake. — Franz Boas Copy Share
If we were to select the most intelligent, imaginative, energetic, and emotionally stable third of mankind, all races would be present. — Franz Boas Copy Share
We all know scientists who in private life do not come up to the standard of truthfulness, but who, nevertheless, would not consciously falsify… — Franz Boas Copy Share
We do not discuss the anatomical, physiological, and mental characteristics of man considered as an individual; but we are interested in the diversity of… — Franz Boas Copy Share
The behavior of an individual is determined not by his racial affiliation, but by the character of his ancestry and his cultural environment. — Franz Boas Copy Share
It is our task to inquire into the causes that have brought about the observed differentiation, and to investigate the sequence of events that… — Franz Boas Copy Share
Furthermore, the study of the present surroundings is insufficient: the history of the people, the influence of the regions through which it has passed… — Franz Boas Copy Share
The historical development of the work of anthropologists seems to single out clearly a domain of knowledge that heretofore has not been treated by… — Franz Boas Copy Share
The disease of mutual distrust among nations is the bane of modern civilization — Franz Boas Copy Share
“I believe the present state of our knowledge justifies us in saying that, while individuals differ, biological differences are small. There is no reason… — Franz Boas Copy Share
Courtesy, modesty, good manners, conformity to definite ethical standards are universal, but what constitutes courtesy, modesty, good manners, and definite ethical standards is not… — Franz Boas Copy Share
No one has ever proved that a human being, through his descent from a certain group of people, must of necessity have certain mental… — Franz Boas Copy Share
The existence of any pure race with special endowments is a myth, as is the belief that there are races all of whose members… — Franz Boas Copy Share
This idea was also brought out very clearly by Wallace, who emphasized that apparently reasonable activities of man might very well have developed without… — Franz Boas Copy Share
Its [the anthropological method] power to make us understand the roots from which our civilization has sprung, that it impresses us with the relative… — Franz Boas Copy Share
