Name, Texas Auction, etc.

Wed Feb 17 11:38:37 CST 1999

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All,
Let's keep it simple:  Before Chomsky and that part of the
scientific revolution that followed there was something that
used to be taught as the "First Law of Semantic Relations";
to wit:  There is no logical relation between a word and
its referent.

If the opposite were true then much of the activity discussed
on this list would be unnecessary.

Thus, it hardly follows that 'assigning a name' implies ownership
of the species.  Does anyone on this list who has assigned a name
feel a proprietary right over the species?

Nor, should the 'meaning' of a name and the existence of a named
object be of much concern.  Does anyone feel we are required to
practice worship of a long dead Roman religion because our planet
is surrounded by  entities with 'powerful' names such as Mars and
Jupiter?

And, I suspect that any astronomer reading this thread is either
bewildered or dying laughing as the practice of naming celestial
entities has long been to name them after just about anything that
pops up.  Is astronomy less a science for the practice?   Anyone
who might have a celestial entity named for him/her who thinks they
are going to dictate to  the entity or others something of the
'disposition'
of the entity is going to be sadly surprised.  (By the way and by a similar

line of reasoning, I should point out that 'dying laughing' does not mean
the person actually ceases to live.)  Naming, classification, and coding
are different matters.

I echo the sentiments of those who reflect that if the money helps save a
species, so much the better.  And echo those who have pointed out past
patronage to which I would add: Does anyone want to rewrite those
species that were named out of patronage?

In short, read let's all read some of the history of science, lighten-up,
welcome the money to pursue species preservation, and get back to work.
                                        Jim

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<html><head></head><BODY bgcolor=3D"#FFFFFF"><p><font size=3D2 =
color=3D"#000080" face=3D"Arial Narrow">All,<br>Let's keep it simple: =
&nbsp;Before Chomsky and that part of the<br>scientific revolution that =
followed there was something that<br>used to be taught as the =
&quot;First Law of Semantic Relations&quot;;<br>to wit: &nbsp;There is =
no logical relation between a word and<br>its referent.<br><br>If the =
opposite were true then much of the activity discussed<br>on this list =
would be unnecessary.<br><br>Thus, it hardly follows that 'assigning a =
name' implies ownership<br>of the species. &nbsp;Does anyone on this =
list who has assigned a name<br>feel a proprietary right over the =
species?<br><br>Nor, should the 'meaning' of a name and the existence of =
a named<br>object be of much concern. &nbsp;Does anyone feel we are =
required to<br>practice worship of a long dead Roman religion because =
our planet<br>is surrounded by &nbsp;entities with 'powerful' names such =
as Mars and<br>Jupiter?<br><br>And, I suspect that any astronomer =
reading this thread is either <br>bewildered or dying laughing as the =
practice of naming celestial<br>entities has long been to name them =
after just about anything that <br>pops up. &nbsp;Is astronomy less a =
science for the practice? &nbsp;&nbsp;Anyone <br>who might have a =
celestial entity named for him/her who thinks they <br>are going to =
dictate to &nbsp;the entity or others something of the 'disposition' =
<br>of the entity is going to be sadly surprised. &nbsp;(By the way and =
by a similar <br>line of reasoning, I should point out that 'dying =
laughing' does not mean <br>the person actually ceases to live.) =
&nbsp;Naming, classification, and coding<br>are different =
matters.<br><br>I echo the sentiments of those who reflect that if the =
money helps save a <br>species, so much the better. &nbsp;And echo those =
who have pointed out past <br>patronage to which I would add: Does =
anyone want to rewrite those <br>species that were named out of =
patronage?<br><br>In short, read let's all read some of the history of =
science, lighten-up, <br>welcome the money to pursue species =
preservation, and get back to =
work.<br>&#009;&#009;&#009;&#009;&#009;Jim<br><font size=3D2><br></p>
</font></font></body></html>
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