a phenetic-cladistics saga (abridged) - was parapla ying (and bullies)

[Richard.Zander at MOBOT.ORG]

Logic itself has some limitations. In books of logic, "inference" means
deduction. Not induction. Maybe I'm splitting hairs here, but a
long-standing sophistical gimmick relies on deduction alone to prove a
point.

Aquinas, according to Chesterton, promoted the idea that if you choose the
correct first principle, then all deductions must be correct. Ergo, all
dogma was rational and scientific. Note that induction and experimental
verification are absent. Is there a lesson?

______________________
Richard H. Zander
Bryology Group
Missouri Botanical Garden
PO Box 299
St. Louis, MO 63166-0299
richard.zander at mobot.org <mailto:richard.zander at mobot.org>
Voice: 314-577-5180
Fax: 314-577-9595
Websites
Bryophyte Volumes of Flora of North America:
http://ridgwaydb.mobot.org/bfna/bfnamenu.htm
Res Botanica:
http://ridgwaydb.mobot.org/resbot/index.htm
Shipping address for UPS, etc.:
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4344 Shaw Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63110



-----Original Message-----
From: pierre deleporte [mailto:pierre.deleporte at UNIV-RENNES1.FR]
Sent: Friday, April 09, 2004 5:21 AM
To: TAXACOM at LISTSERV.NHM.KU.EDU
Subject: [TAXACOM] a phenetic-cladistics saga (abridged) - was
paraplaying (and bullies)


I don't believe too much in personalizing the evolution of scientific
thought. Bullying has strictly no chance against logics in the long run (I
hope so), we certainly have better uses for adrenalin, and possible
"reconciliation" should strictly be a matter of logics, not personal
feelings. Science is neither a democraty, nor a family circle.