Taxonomy: Art or Science

[Yuri P. Nekrutenko]

          Well,  both  Chris Thomson  and Sven O. Kullander  are right  and
     wrong at the same time. Taxonomy is mostly a science though it  better
     operates with talented people involved. Nomenclature  is a  tool, or a
     language,  or  a  grammar  of  Taxonomy (and  not  only  taxonomy: any
     subjest to be identified is first to be named, and then placed into  a
     conceptual hierarchy to study  it).  And all above  is of the  humans,
     for the humans, by the humans, not of, for nor by  a machine  (even as
     intelligent as a computer). If for  better  taxonomy operation we need
     to abandon whole human culture, who will appraise  this  sacred  offer
     in 21st century? A semiliterate  specialist  highly competent in Cimex
     lectularius left hind tarsus  morphology as  a taxonomic character?  I
     choose culture because  of fear  of  lost  taxonomy. Custom  is despot
     among  men, but newly  introduced custom  is a Chernobyl...  literally
     and figuratively.

     Yuri P. Nekrutenko
     Institute of Zoology
     UA-252601 Kiev 30, MSP
     U K R A I N E
     ypnekrut at mbat.freenet.kiev.ua