Message 2004-02-0024: Re: RE: a comment on ancestor

Wed, 11 Feb 2004 16:29:48 +0300

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Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2004 16:29:48 +0300
From: "Igor Ya. Pavlinov" <igor_pavlinov@zmmu.msu.ru>
To: de Queiroz Kevin <Dequeiroz.Kevin@NMNH.SI.EDU>
Cc: PhyloCode <phylocode@ouvaxa.cats.ohiou.edu>
Subject: Re: RE: a comment on ancestor

By nomenclature instability I mean simultaneous application of different
nomenclatorial codes. That is was my question about supposed relation of the
PhyloCode to the International Code: the matter is, as far as you are going
to reject binomials, the publications gauged by PhyloCode will be
unavailable from International Code standpoint by definition. So any athour
will be free to give his/her own name to the yours because of its
unavailability. Of course, any transition from one system to another
presumes wider "transitional polimorphysm": earlier post-Linnean taxonomy of
XVIII-XIX centures is good an example. So, however right you may be about a
new taxonomic phylosophy must imply a new taxonomic language, in order to
make Phylocode novelties less idiosyncratic, they have to be pretty
accurately formulated, keeping in mind that "any system is afraid of
novelties" and the drastically is a novelty the more frightened is the
system (I mean, taxonomic community). For instance, I see no causes not to
preserve taxonomic dyagnoses in the PhyloCode, at least in form of
synapomorphy list, without which allocation of a new item to already
established classification will appear a very sophisticated task. I know
several persons over here who tried to apply PhyloCode rules in their
practical revisions but finally rejected this practice just because of
unpracticality of these rules.
----- Original Message -----
From: de Queiroz Kevin <Dequeiroz.Kevin@NMNH.SI.EDU>
To: <phylocode@ouvaxa.cats.ohiou.edu>; <igor_pavlinov@zmmu.msu.ru>
Sent: Tuesday, February 10, 2004 5:55 PM
Subject: Re: RE: a comment on ancestor


> The application of names to different sets of organisms/species in the
> context of different phylogenetic (or, in general, taxonomic) hypotheses
> occurs both in phylogenetic and in traditional nomenclature.  So
> phylogenetic nomenclature is similar to traditional nomenclature in this
> respect.  Moreover, several authors have argued that this sort of
> instability is not only necessary but desirable.   Stability of
nomenclature
> that results from stability of taxonomic hypotheses means that our views
> about relationships are no longer changing.  The stagnation implied by
this
> state of affairs (assuming that we will never know everything about
> phylogeny) has lead some authors to adopt the slogan "stability is
> ignorance."
>
> Kevin
>
> Kevin de Queiroz
> Division of Amphibians & Reptiles
> Smithsonian Institution
> P.O. Box 37012
> NHB, Room W203, MRC 162
> Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
> Voice:  202-357-2212
> FAX:  202-786-2979
> E-mail:  dequeiroz.kevin@nmnh.si.edu
>
> >>> "Igor Ya. Pavlinov" <igor_pavlinov@zmmu.msu.ru> - 2/10/04 1:15 AM >>>
>
> > The method or methods used to infer phylogenetic relationships is a
> > taxonomic rather than a nomenclatural issue; therefore, it is outside of
> the
> > jurisdiction of the PhyloCode.  Consequently, systematists are free to
> use
> > whatever methods they like (even UPGMA!) to infer phylogenetic
> > relationships; however, some methods (such as UPGMA) will make it more
> > difficult for them to satisfy other requirements of phylogenetic
> nomenclatue
> > (such as providing a diagnosis), and their use may affect how widely the
> > conclusions are accepted by other researchers.
> >
>
> THAT'S JUST WHAT SAID AT THE VARY BEGINNING OF CURRENT DISCUSSIAN:
> APPLYING
> PHYLOCODE WITH ITS STRICT DIFINITION OF OBJECTS TO BE NAMED VALIDLY SEEMS
> TO
> LEAD TO GREAT INSTABILITY OF NOMENCLATURE.
>
> > Kevin
> >
> >
> > Kevin de Queiroz
> > Division of Amphibians & Reptiles
> > Smithsonian Institution
> > P.O. Box 37012
> > NHB, Room W203, MRC 162
> > Washington, D.C. 20013-7012
> > Voice:  202-357-2212
> > FAX:  202-786-2979
> > E-mail:  dequeiroz.kevin@nmnh.si.edu
>



  

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