What is a character?

[Phil Bunch]

I think this would be interesting but would a definition of
"character" work across widely different taxa? It could become so
general as to lose meaning. Since I have a very narrow focus I have
not though much about the wide applicability of such a definition.

Phil Bunch

----- Original Message -----
From: <Don.Colless at CSIRO.AU>
To: <TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG>
Sent: Tuesday, July 09, 2002 21:19
Subject: What is a character?


> Personally, I believe that insistence on precise definitions is
often
> unhelpful and at base illusory; but a common set of agreed terms (or
an
> understanding of the other chap's usage) is no doubt important. If
someone's
> starting a thread on the term "character", I recommend a glance at
my own
> discussion of the matter - Sys. Zool. 34:229-233, 1985 - that is, if
your
> library goes back to the Dark Ages!
>
> Don Colless,
> CSIRO Div of Entomology,
> Canberra.
> email don.colless at csiro.au
> tel. (02)62464270
> tuz le munz est miens envirun
>