Message 2004-10-0008: Re: REPOST: Crowns, Panstems, and their Correspondence to ea=

Thu, 09 Sep 2004 16:26:08 -1000

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Date: Thu, 09 Sep 2004 16:26:08 -1000
From: [unknown]
To: List PhyloCode <phylocode@ouvaxa.cats.ohiou.edu>
Subject: Re: REPOST: Crowns, Panstems, and their Correspondence to ea=

On 9 Sep 2004 at 18:06, Jaime A. Headden wrote:
>   One could say (as above) that this is essentially the same proble=
m.
> Linnaean taxonomy would attempt to use the clades named in a hierar=
chical
> setting, and simply apply mandated ranks to each ... it would likel=
y be
> inescapable ... there ARE Linnaean taxonomists out there [...]

=2E..and we're laughing our asses off reading this discussion.  Like =
the=20
species problem, it sounds like an attempt to hack together a way to=
=20
make it work where the original system doesn't really fit.

> [...] more than half of biology being comprised of those that follo=
w
> such a system in their nomenclature.=20

I suspect it's still more than half.  The PhyloCode seems to appeal t=
o=20
three groups of systematists: paleontologists, who genuinely have=
=20
problems with the Linnean naming system; theoreticians who just disli=
ke=20
ranks; and people with an unbearable, uncontrollable urge to name=
=20
*every* *single* clade they discover, and once they get past=20
infrasubtribes can't think of any more ranks.  I haven't seen much=
=20
outside of vertebrate taxonomy aside from that done by the hardcore=
=20
original PhyloCoders, and I have yet to meet a non-systematist who=
=20
thinks being unable to sort species by exclusive groups (which is to=
=20
say, being unable to know they're exclusive without an intimate=20
knowledge of phylogenetics) is a good idea.

Karl
=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D
Karl Magnacca
NPS Inventory & Monitoring Program
PO Box 11, Hawaii Natl. Park, HI 96718
808-985-6073

"The fundamental cause of trouble in the world today is that the stup=
id=20
are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt." --Bertrand Russe=
ll


  

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