lep names

James J Kruse fnjjk1 at aurora.uaf.edu
Wed Jan 31 20:46:43 EST 2001


I am not sure where disagreeing with the idea of subspecies became
anti-conservation, anti-biodiversity, and now, anti-free thinking, but I
find it a little disturbing.
 
On Wed, 31 Jan 2001, John Shuey wrote:
>
>  The basic problem with this idea is the lack of a clear consensus of
> what defines a species.  I think this is indeed a basic problem that
> will not be resolved such that everyone will be happy.
 
Exactly! So, if we are unsure about what a species is, what is a
subspecies??
 
> Choosing a solution and force feeding it to the world inhibits the creative
> process.  A good example would be the many new subspecies described in Ron
> Gatrelle's Taxonomic Review.
 
Okay. A subspecies is an example of the creative process. I'll buy that.
 
The rest is an unfortunate view of what a name committee is doing: that
this "conservative" (oh dear, W. may be behind it) name committee is
trying to suppress these creative subspecies ideas and suppress even the
very act of thinking, "burying names for all times" as if wiping out
the actual populations by the process and thus doing a "disservice to
curious minds" and annointing themselves as the "better minds" (- the
sound of black helicopters slowing... then hovering...)...Wow.
 
Jeeeez, its a LIST of names! No one is trying to hide the diversity of
the planet by creating this list.
 
So, who wants to do the list now? Ha ha!
 
> I like a good mystery - especially the mystery of life.
 
I respectfully submit that I hope no one tries to solve any part of it
for you.
 
Jim Kruse
- silent for almost two years, now awakened by subspecies to post again,
and again, and again.... who speaks for the lurkers?
 
 
 
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