[Taxacom] Phylogenetics and ... Astrology

[Richard Zander]

With the query about how many DNA sequences are needed to overcome a
different morphological analytic result, this analogy came to mind.

 

Structuralism is the identification of a fundamental pattern in nature
or in the human mind, and the mapping of all other information onto this
fundamental pattern. Structuralism has shown up in linguistics
(Saussure), psychology (Piaget), mathematics (Bourbakian authors), and
other fields. The paragon of structuralism is the geocentric universe,
where the motions of planets and other non-stars are mapped onto the
night sky through Ptolemy's epicycles. The basic pattern of the night
sky is also used in astrology to map and thus predict human fate.
Science has provided theory that conciliates the motions of stars and
planets, and has suggested strongly that human fate is our own problem,
not that of the stars'. 

 

Phylogenetics maps just about every scientific phenomenon associated
with evolution onto a phylogenetic tree, the latter treated as a
fundamental pattern in nature. What the pattern actually is is the
relationships of present-day exemplars as a result of evolution. These
are facts (the equivalent of distance measures) just as the relative
motions of heavenly bodies are facts. More exactitude in determining
present-day patterns of present-day exemplars tells us no more about the
past evolutionary processes involved in determining those relationships,
just as learning more about exactly when people were born lets us
determine their fate better through astrology. 

 

There is an exact, analogous match between phylogenetics and astrology
in this respect.

 

John Aubrey, a biographer who flourished 1626-1697, had a fairly modern
critical facility, but was credulous about astrology. In an exact
analogue with the modern search for more DNA sequences, he wrote about
astrology: "We have not that Science yet perfect, 'tis one of the
Desiderata. The way to make it perfect is to get a Supellex of true
Genitures; in order whereunto I have with much care collected these
ensuing, which the Astrologers may rely on, for I have sett down none on
randome, or doubtfull, information, but from their own Mouthes."  (O.
Lawson Dick, ed. 1957. Aubrey's Brief Lives. Godine, Boston, p. lxiii).

 

* * * * * * * * * * * * 
Richard H. Zander 
Missouri Botanical Garden, PO Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299 USA 
Web sites: http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/ and
http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/bfna/bfnamenu.htm
Modern Evolutionary Systematics Web site:
http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/21EvSy.htm