The article presents a case of »scientific« argument supporting racism in psychology (»Cattell controversy«). The author argues that scientific racism in psychology should not be considered as an excess but rather as a symptom. It is not limited to a few cases of eugenicist and evolutionary psychologists; it is closely tied to the genetic reductionist concept of a person and of psychological differences, and to the role of psychological knowledge in (bio) power relations. It concludes with comments on the social responsibility of scientists and points out that scientific conclusions cannot be detached from their effects.
