The still popular concept that humans have different sources and have intrinsic differences as indicated by physical appearance. According to
Theosophists, humanity has gone through different stages of evolution (rather than a continuous development), and each stage produced a “root-race,” with each of the seven root-races having seven sub-races. Unfortunately, this concept became popular during the last part of the 19th century and supported the racism, anti-Semitism, and imperialism, that fueled (and still fuels) wars and hatred. Today, modern science considers the concept of race to be false and unscientific.