[Taxacom] Anyone else wish this statement was honored?

[John Grehan]

Scott,

It's a fact of life that the content of a list is the product of those
who want to take the time to contribute. If only a few contribute, then
the comment is inevitably dominated by those that do. Everyone else has
a life.

I did quit posting, but only in response to some nasty suggestions. Then
I changed my mind (a classic quality of a scientist). No need to submit
to bullying.

Scott, you are welcome to go on about whatever you like on this list,
and no matter how absurd I might think your views, I would be the last
to object.

As for how can anything be judged by the scientific community without
publication, why do you go on about this as if I have not done so?

The orangutan theory of itself is only a minor taxonomic question, but
it brings to the fore a fundamental contradiction that, if it were not
for the question of human origins, would not even get a second thought.
But since human origins and relationships does attract a certain level
of interest that is broader than, say an obscure group of moths, it also
draws attention to systematic and biogeographic issues that otherwise
may be overlooked. 

And lastly, I am selfish. I benefit from the debates and disputations on
this list.

John Grehan

> scientific community?
> -----Original Message-----
> From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [mailto:taxacom-
> bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Scott Fisher
> Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 2:19 PM
> To: Richard Zander
> Cc: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Anyone else wish this statement was honored?
> 
> Excellent point.  I do, however, find it interesting that the list has
> over a thousand members but the conversation is dominated by so few...
I
> didn't ask others to bully John Grehan.  I asked John Grehan to honor
his
> promise to quit posting it can move on other productive items.
> 
> My take is that Grehan's ideas are pretty well known to the list
members.
> Nothing is gained by rehashing the same material over and over again.
If
> the ideas are so great then publish them and let the entire world
debate
> their merits.  The same argument can be made for Kinman's taxonomy
> ruminations.  Without publication how can anything be judged by the
> scientific community?
> 
> I doubt that MO would be happy if you harped away for years on a list
> serve without producing peer reviewed literature to justify your
position.
> If so, how does one sign up for such a position?
> 
> We all get that Grehan argues humans evolved from orangutans. I'm just
> tired of hearing about it.  Isn't there more going on in the world of
> taxonomy than that hypothesis?  If not, maybe the field should be
allowed
> to die since it has nothing exciting to add human condition.
> 
> SF
> 
> 
> 
> ________________________________
> From: Richard Zander <Richard.Zander at mobot.org>
> To: Scott Fisher <scottfisher2010 at yahoo.com>;
taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 1:05:26 PM
> Subject: RE: [Taxacom] Anyone else wish this statement was honored?
> 
> I think you are nearly alone, Scott. John Grehan's arguments do
actually
> generate interesting retorts and counter-arguments.
> 
> If we bully away John, where do we stop? Michael Heads is a
> panbiogeographer, too. How about Ken Kinman, he talks a lot about his
> own enthusiasms. And what about this guy Zander?
> 
> *****************************
> Richard H. Zander
> Voice: 314-577-0276
> Missouri Botanical Garden
> PO Box 299
> St. Louis, MO 63166-0299 USA
> richard.zander at mobot.org
> Web sites: http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/
> and http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/bfna/bfnamenu.htm
> Non-post deliveries to:
> Missouri Botanical Garden, 4344 Shaw Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63110
> *****************************
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Scott Fisher
> Sent: Sunday, August 16, 2009 12:30 PM
> To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
> Subject: [Taxacom] Anyone else wish this statement was honored?
> 
> This summer members of this list received the following posting on
> Taxacom:
> 
> "I have had a good number of years of interesting discussions, but
legal
> threats are not
> something I want to contend with. This is my last posting.
> 
> John Grehan"
> 
> 
> Am I alone in my opinion that I'd love to have Mr. Grehan honor his
> statement permanently?  I'm really tired of all his nutjob arguments.
> It would be great to have the list's topics of discussion return to
> science based taxonomy (as was the case during his all too short
> absence).
> 
> SF
> 
> 
> 
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