[Taxacom] Macroscope - history of the term

[Tony Rees]

Thanks Oleksandr for your comment via the digest:

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 Hi all, hi Tony,
So, as for me, "macroscope" is a metaphor, which could be used in different
contexts, not an established term. Therefore, tracking the first
appearance, description of meanings, etc. is the job of linguists. "Odum's
macroscope", in the contrary, is an ecological concept and therefore could
be useful to define. Just my personal opinion.
Cheers,Oleks

Oleksandr Zinenko Ph.D., leading research worker Museum of Nature at V. N.
Karazin Kharkiv National University Trinkler st., 8, Kharkiv, Ukraine, 61058
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 Actually I had not thought of it quite like that; sometimes we say, for
example, "folk music under the microscope", in which instance "microscope"
is used as a metaphor; but it is also an actual concept (a method for
visualising very small objects). I view "macroscope" in an analogous way:
both as a metaphor (for non scientific topics) and an actual method or
"virtual instrument" (for real objects or natural/physical systems which
are observable in smaller portions, that can then be "stitched together" to
gain a bigger picture). In any case I appreciate your input.

Best regards - Tony


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