[Taxacom] Seed plants of Fiji

[John Grehan]

-----Original Message-----
From: Michael A. Ivie [mailto:mivie at montana.edu] 
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2006 7:01 PM
To: John Grehan
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Seed plants of Fiji

John Grehan wrote:

>I'm going to be away for about a week and maybe unable to comment 
>further until then on this or other responses. The difference between 
>panbiogeography and religion is that panbiogeography makes novel 
>predictions about the empirical world, and these predications have been

>successful.
>
Religion makes all kinds of novel predictions about the empirical world,
some even more novel than yours.  

Except in this case they have been empirically corroborated.

However, both your version of panbiogeography and other religions use
only their own ideas to support or reject these novel predictions.
"When I let go of this pencil, God will make it go to the floor" is the
same as "Hawaii got its fauna vicariantly because its fauna is a result
of Vicariant form-making."  
Both are considered supported by "empirical" evidence by believers, but
neither is supported by outside evidence.  Both MIGHT BE CORRECT
(scientists must admit that the seemingly impossible might be out
there), but I am not going to bet my retirement fund on it.

You misunderstand. It that is not the reasoning. It is the existence of
vicariism that belies dispersal in the Pacific from surrounding centers
of origin along with other lines of evidence such as tectonic
correlations. Have you not read this literature? 

John, a clear message for anyone who is not a genius -- If everyone says
you are wrong, you can pretty well take it to the bank -- you are wrong.


That's what was said about Croizat, but his geological predictions were
indeed subsequently corroborated.

Dear Taxacomers, isn't it clear he does this just for the attention?  If
no one answers his drivel, it will go away eventually (being as he is a
true believing  evangelist, it might take a long time -- I am thinking
of the scruffy guy preaching on street corners for weeks on end with
everyone just walking by them, ignoring them...).  I know, I am giving
him the attention he craves, but hey, I am only human, and can only take
so much.

Oh, and John, it is not me that needs to get over Croizat -- or any
other religious nut case.

Have a nice trip, John.

Mike

John Grehan