Final answer:
Chief Justice Earl Warren proved that segregated schools were not equal in the 'intangibles' by citing social science research, including the 'doll test' by Kenneth and Mamie Clark, which demonstrated that segregation induced feelings of inferiority in African American students. The Court concluded that segregation based on race was inherently unequal and unconstitutional, thus overturning the 'separate but equal' doctrine and advancing educational integration.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Brown v. Board of Education on 'Intangibles'
In the Supreme Court opinion for Brown v. Board of Education, Chief Justice Earl Warren addressed the issue of equality in segregated schools by focusing on the 'intangibles' that impact the education of minority students.
Utilizing evidence from sociological studies, especially those conducted by Kenneth and Mamie Clark, known for the 'doll test', Warren argued that segregation in public schools generated feelings of inferiority among African American students. The mere separation based on race, according to the court's decision, was inherently unequal and unconstitutional.
Despite the existence of equivalent physical facilities and resources, the negative psychological effects of segregation and the consequent inferiority complex it imposed on minority children highlighted that separate educational facilities could never be truly equal.
This profound decision also relied on Thurgood Marshall's arguments which, alongside the social science research, helped the court conclude that a segregated schooling system cannot provide the same quality of education, teachers, or environment as an integrated one.
The separate but equal doctrine was deemed a logical impossibility and was overturned, signalling a significant step towards integrating public schools and providing equal educational opportunities for all children, irrespective of race.