Taxonomy: Art or Science
Yuri P. Nekrutenko
YPNekrut at MBAT.FREENET.KIEV.UA
Thu Mar 28 16:59:45 CST 1996
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
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