The Code---mutable or not
mbpi at juno.com
mbpi at juno.com
Sun Jul 15 20:03:48 EDT 2001
ME get MAD?! Why heavans, no... I'll just pop a Prozac, remain on the
sidelines, and place my wager on Seabiscuit (i.e. a dead horse), "to Win"
this handicap :-)
Mary Beth
On Sun, 15 Jul 2001 18:41:42 -0400 Michael Gochfeld
<gochfeld at EOHSI.RUTGERS.EDU> writes:
> At the risk of incurring Mary Beth's wrath.
>
> Ron wrote:
> Anyone who does not own a copy of The International Code of
> Zoological
> Nomenclature (ICZN) Vol. 4 should not even be opening their mouth
> about
> taxonomy. Even many who do have a copy don't _understand_ how it
> works.
> Taxonomists are not free to do what ever they want. The
> International
> Code of Zoological Nomenclature is structured to bring immutability
> to
> organic defination and communication. Popular butterfly authors
> often
> work outside these rules and have screwed things up quite a bit.
> ==================
> There's something almost biblical in that proclamation (is that an
> accident, Ron?).
>
> But it's important to recognize that the code itself is mutable. It
> changes (albeit ponderously) to reflect the state of the cultures of
>
> systematics, taxonomy, and nomenclature, which are NOT AT ALL the
> same
> thing.
>
> Systematics is the study of the relationships
>
> Taxonomy is the practice of classifying things (not necessarily by
> relationships. Read for example the numerical taxonomists who were
> primarily entomologists)
>
> Nomenclature is the practice of giving names.
>
> The discussion has really been about nomenclature in the hope (held
> to
> differing degrees by the various discussants) that it reflects
> relationships.
>
> The code is primarily about nomenclature. As I read it taxonomy is
> only
> the underpinning.
>
> Mike Gochfeld
>
>
>
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>
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>
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>
>
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