species concepts (this is long!)

[John Grehan]

At 12:20 AM 11/26/01 -0800, you wrote:

>John and others,
>
>Ok, I will read Lakatos.

Actually Lakatos will not 'solve' anything. Its just another point of view.

>Any other papers you can
>suggest?

If one wishes to have a slightly different biologist's perspective on 
species one might read Croizat. Heads 1985 on the nature of ancestors might 
be useful.

>   You respond by saying "propaganda" when I
>said that the best theories are the simplest and
>easiest to disprove.  Popper elaborates on this, as
>have many others since then.

Its not a matter of rebuttal. Propaganda is propaganda. All scientists, 
including myself, employ propaganda as a tool to persuade or give the 
'best' light on a point of view. After all, if one did not have some 
confidence in one's view there would be no point in doing this. Popper has 
a position to support and his style, like any philosopher, lawyer, or 
scientist, is to provide an argument that provides some kind of positive 
light on the position being supported.Of course whether such propaganda, 
rhetoric etc is 'convincing' or not is up to the reader.

>There is no point in continuing this dialogue with you
>since you have not, and apparently won't, read the
>literature I am talking about; I don't have time (this
>is my last leps-l response to you on this topic...).

It is also evident that Warren has not read the literature I am talking 
about, but I do not impose that as a requirement for discussion. Evidently 
we each take a different perspective on this  - which is ok, but its just 
different.

>You have taken such a hostile tone; have I offended
>you?

Apologies for any hostile tone - most unintentional. I tend to take 
subjects head on, so perhaps that can seem a bit hostile, but I am most 
respectful of individuals taking their own position on a subject no matter 
how strongly I might disagree on the position itself.

>You obviously know much more about the subject
>without even having read the literature.  Wow!  I'm
>impressed.

Perhaps that raises the question of whether particular literature is all 
that pertinent. There is a lot of scientific literature that just goes over 
the same old ground without really having anything new so perhaps that's 
not surprising.

John Grehan


 
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