Fwd: Re: [TAXACOM] genetic vs morphological trace of phylogeny

[John Grehan]

At 08:50 PM 4/12/2004 -0700, Curtis Clark wrote:
>At 12:42 2004-04-12, John Grehan wrote:
>>I guess I do not see these methods making the phylogeny 'cladistic' in the
>>sense of Hennig, Rosa etc.
>
>Neither cladistics nor panbiogeography has stood still, unchanged from its
>original formulation. To accuse any science of that sort of stasis is harsh
>condemnation.

Perhaps cladistics is not cladistics any more.


>>As Curtis has so kindly pointed out, I appear to
>>be out of step with 'informed' opinion (informed being by definition the
>>majority).
>
>Although I agree with your self-characterization, that was not at all my
>point. My point is that there is a vocabulary and methodology of cladistics
>that you seemingly do not understand.

Perhaps. Then again not having 'understood' might be leveled as what is
simply a different point of view.

>In my opinion, it is foolish to argue against things that are not
>understood, or are understood without the means to communicate that
>understanding to others.

Again, what is 'understood' is not necessarily absolute. Just look at
various algorithm crunchers criticize each other for not understanding
respective methods - despite all parties being active in the field. I was
once told that I could not criticize vicariance cladistics unless I could
do cladistic theory back to front (that ability being measured according to
the authority of said individual). Never mind that the individual did not
see the converse being necessary for panbiogeographic theory Naturally I
ignored that proposition.

>(That is why you will not find me arguing against panbiogeography.)

You will have noticed that several list members have commented and
sometimes debated panbiogeography without necessarily having a full
familiarity with either terminology or methodology. This has not prevented
me from attempting explanatory responses, and sometimes even from their
lack of familiarity with the subject they can still push me to the limits
of my own understanding for all that I might be more familiar with the subject.

John Grehan



>--
>Curtis Clark                  http://www.csupomona.edu/~jcclark/
>Web Coordinator, Cal Poly Pomona                 +1 909 979 6371
>Professor, Biological Sciences                   +1 909 869 4062

Dr. John Grehan
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