hypothetical construct

[Tom DiBenedetto]

Thomas Schlemmermeyer wrote:

>One should not forget in this discussion that all our approaches to
>the world around us are theory-ladden and subjective, very subjective.

agreed

>To assert that homology is something real, is inadequate. Not
>only is homology nothing real, but also the characters by which one comes to
>homology statements are not real.

Is anything real?

>All the above stated concepts are concepts which arose in the 19th century
>when there was a growing awareness that animals and plants should be
>understood within a natural system. However, the natural system is not
>the only one.

Is it real?

>Reality may be the light of a candle, the dream of last night, a love,
>a piece of music, a poem, a picture, a sea, a beach, a voice, the song
>of a bird or anything else.

I agree with all this, If love and a poem and the sea or "anything
else" can be real, why not a homology, or a taxon?