[Taxacom] suppression in science

[John Grehan]

Richard,

Thank you for that thoughtful reflection. Perhaps that distinction applies
as you say, but if as a reviewer of an article I find that in my opinion
(and based on explicit criteria) that the work is inadequate for
publication then am I not suppressing publication? In technical papers such
decisions are perhaps not so troublesome and journals are now often
providing subcategories such as acceptable with minor or major revision. It
gets a little more tricky when one is writing concept papers (such as on
evolutionary, biogeographic, systematic theory) where, at least in my past
experience, publication is determined by vote of reviewers (so quite a
number of editors will just accept the majority vote regardless of merits).
And then you have journals with editors who have previously declared
against publication of particular views. So perhaps the critical issue is
to what extent opportunities to publish are prevented.

John Grehan

<https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=icon>
Virus-free.
www.avast.com
<https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=link>
<#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>

On Wed, Nov 29, 2017 at 9:44 AM, Richard Jensen <rjensen at saintmarys.edu>
wrote:

> John,
>
> I do not believe the situation you describe is an act of suppression, in
> the usual meaning of the word (to inhibit, keep secret, or prevent the use
> or revelation of).  When you make the choice, you are not preventing anyone
> else from making the alternative choice.  The fact that you, yourself, may
> use both alternatives is evidence that you are not trying to prevent anyone
> else making the same choice.
>
> I don't disagree with you that suppression has, and still does, occur in
> science - just that your example is not an act of suppression.
>
> Cheers,
>
> Dick
>
> On Wed, Nov 29, 2017 at 9:25 AM, John Grehan <calabar.john at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> In response to my earlier comment about suppression of works I received an
>> off list response asserting that I was referring to a particular group of
>> "thieves". So I would state here that my comments were about the fact of
>> suppression as part of science. It was not to suggest any position as to
>> right or wrong of such suppression.  Perhaps my comment about it
>> suppression becoming 'respectable' would have a negative inference about
>> suppression. As far as I am concerned, it is a case by case issue.
>> Naturally in the instance that affects my work I am in disagreement with
>> the suppression while others find it fully justified.
>>
>> On a taxonomic level I have the situation over whether the ending of
>> species names follow gender. In some major works they do not. In some
>> cases
>> I follow that, in other cases I do not (so I guess I am inconsistent and
>> unscientific). In either case I am suppressing one of the alternatives.
>>
>> John Grehan
>>
>> <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source
>> =link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=icon>
>> Virus-free.
>> www.avast.com
>> <https://www.avast.com/sig-email?utm_medium=email&utm_source
>> =link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=webmail&utm_term=link>
>> <#DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Taxacom Mailing List
>> Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu,
>> http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
>> The Taxacom Archive back to 1992 may be searched at:
>> http://taxacom.markmail.org
>>
>> Send Taxacom mailing list submissions to taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>> To subscribe or unsubscribe via the Web, visit:
>> http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
>> You can reach the person managing the list at:
>> taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>>
>> Nurturing Nuance while Assaulting Ambiguity for 30 Some Years, 1987-2017.
>>
>
>
>
> --
> Richard Jensen, Professor Emeritus
> Department of Biology
> Saint Mary's College
> Notre Dame, IN 46556
>