systematics V taxonomy

[Robin Leech]

Of course the other major difference between TAXONOMY and SYSTEMATICS is
that the former is of Greek origin, and the latter is of Latin origin.
Robin Leech
----- Original Message -----
From: "STEPHEN MANNING" <SDMANNING at ASUB.EDU>
To: <TAXACOM at USOBI.ORG>
Sent: Tuesday, September 10, 2002 4:25 PM
Subject: Re: systematics V taxonomy


> Susan et al.,
>
> I would vote for "mostly semantic."  The fact that we have a term "alpha
> taxonomy" to describe the older methodologies seems to imply that there
are
> other types of taxonomy as well, which most would probably put under the
> broader name, "systematics", but could equally well continue to call
> "taxonomy."  This leads up to what I think was Jacques Melot's point which
> is, do we really need two terms at present since they historically meant
> just about the same thing?  On this , I would say "no, we don't need two
> terms, but we have them!"  (Parenthetically, had the language regarding
the
> term "biology" evolved similarly to that which has happened to the term
> "taxonomy", we would probably be calling organismal biology "alpha
biology"
> and the rest something else most of the time.)
>
> Cheers,
> Steve
>
> At 05:00 PM 9/5/02 -0400, Susan B. Farmer wrote:
> >Several grad students were sitting around discussing/debating the
> >differences between systematics and taxonomy.  Are there *really*
> >any differences, or is the distincting mostly semantic?
> >
> >Susan, curious in Tennessee
> >-----
> >Susan Farmer
> >sfarmer at goldsword.com
> >Botany Department, University of Tennessee
> >http://www.goldsword.com/sfarmer/Trillium
>
> Stephen D. Manning, Ph.D.
> Professor of Biology
> Mathematics and Science Division
> Arkansas State University - Beebe
> P. O. Box 1000
> Beebe, Arkansas 72012-1000
> USA
> Tel: 501-882-7162
>