hypothetical construct

[Les Kaufman]

>Date: Tue, 9 Dec 1997 11:03:22 -0500
>To:Thomas Schlemmermeyer <termites at USP.BR>
>From:lesk at biology.bu.edu (Les Kaufman)
>Subject:Re: Re[2]: hypothetical construct
>
>Characters may be only projections or derivatives, but I suspect that in order
>for systematics to remain an empirical science we must assume collectively
>that gene expression, at least, is real.  If that's real, then characters are
>surrogates for it.  Their reality would not matter as much as the assumed
>reality of the underlying process that we actually wish to study
>comparatively.
>
>The stuff about candles and love is very nice, and the phenotype may well be
>but a poem of its potential, but the line's got to be drawn someplace or we're
>no longer in the sciences.
>

Les Kaufman
Boston University Marine Program
Department of Biology
Boston University
5 Cummington Street
Boston, MA 02215

e-mail: lesk at bio.bu.edu
phone: 617-353-5560
fax:   617-353-6340