Cladistic hypotheses

[Richard.Zander at MOBOT.ORG]

Well, any speculation based on some facts is a hypothesis, and if we
consider a computer a robot, then it is speculating. Unless one requires a
soul for Intelligent Speculation.

Actually I agree with the hesitant among us, that it requires a bit more
though than just grabbing the computer's golden egg.

A cladogram is produced from reasonable data by a computer using a
particular reasonable evolutionary model and some assumptions, and the
result may be silly, or indistinguishable from random, or easily changed by
changing some iffy assumptions, or directly contradicted by a previous
analysis, etc. Signing your name to a publication as an author means you
think the hypothesis you are publishing is an advance to science, and is in
some way either reliable for others to use in their work or which at least
aids in continued speculation.

Someday, maybe, we will advance phylogenetic theories, until then we suggest
hypotheses.

______________________
Richard H. Zander
Bryology Group, Missouri Botanical Garden
PO Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299 USA
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