Bits and pieces 7 Jan 2009 I’m away from what serves as my computer these days for a while – off to Sydney to find a place to live. Also, the Seed Masters (whom I for one welcome) are upgrading Moveable Type from 3 to 4, so we can’t blog for a few days anyway. But I would like to announce that my paper with Gareth J. Nelson on a possible precursor to punctuated equilibrium and the biological species concept, Pierre Trémaux, has been published in the journal History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences. The full details are: Wilkins, John S., and Gareth J. Nelson. 2008. Trémaux on species: A theory of allopatric speciation (and punctuated equilibrium) before Wagner. Hist. Phil. Life Sci. 30: 179-206. A manuscript version is available from the PhilSci Archive. Evolution History Species and systematics trashcan categorial
Evolution Lateral transfer of genes across the evolutionary tree 18 Jul 2007 In recent years it has becoming increasingly obvious that there is a considerable amount of lateral, or cross phylogenetic, transfer of genetic material. In bacteria, this happens by several mechanisms, such as uptake of gene fragments from cells that have disintegrated, or by mechanisms such as conjugation (“bacterial sex”). Sometimes… Read More
History In defence of taxonomists [plus ça change] 7 Mar 20187 Mar 2018 I sympathize with the physiologist or ecologist, who after he has written a luminous paper on a Cratoegus or Viola, or Rosa, or Opuntia, endeavors to ascertain the proper name for his plant; but I do not sympathize with his objurgations against the whole tribe of species makers. There is… Read More
History Renaissance mathematicus 6 Aug 2009 I know I’ve been busy for a while now, but that’s no excuse for not having made more of our blog-friend Thony Christie’s new blog, Renaissance Mathematicus. Which is a real pity as he’s been doing some interesting pieces on the history of science. Since I’m such a slacker, go… Read More