Philosophy More on phenomena 9 Jun 201122 Jun 2018 Semifinalist for the 3 Quarks Daily Philosophy Prize 2011 In my last post, I asked whether there was a foundation for my view that species are extra-theoretical phenomena. I have done some further reading, especially Michela Massimi’s book Kant and Philosophy of Science Today, which I will have to buy…. Continue Reading
Evolution More on why Brian Blessed is a monkey 26 Apr 201126 Apr 2011 If this worked, you should see a rather nice, if occasionally naughty language using, discussion of the point I made I little while ago why we should redefine terms like “monkey” to include humans. Sorry John Hawks… Continue Reading
Education Is Brian Blessed a monkey or an ape? 22 Apr 201122 Jun 2018 One of the recurring creationist attacks on evolution is, “If we evolved from monkeys, why are there still monkeys?” I responded to this once before but it is time to revisit it. Why? Because Marty Robbins has attacked the British media, itself always a noble thing to do, for constantly… Continue Reading
Humor Systematists have a strange sense of humour 24 Mar 2011 Some funny new names seen recently: Aussiedraco, a new pteranodontoid pterosaur genus from Australia [1]. Pronounced “ozzydrayco”, one can only hope someone finds a new species and calls it oioioi. Pantydraco [2] – It’s behind you! Pinkfloydia, a new genus of spiders from Western Australia [3] A word of advice:… Continue Reading
Epistemology Pattern cladism and the myth of theory dependence of observation 4 Mar 2011 A new paper has been published in the History and Philosophy of the Life Sciences, entitled “Pattern Cladism, Homology, and Theory-Neutrality” by Christopher Pearson. Either the journal has done something horrible to the text, or the author doesn’t know the difference between Willi Hennig and William Hennig, or between Gareth… Continue Reading
Metaphysics Housekeeping 24 Feb 2011 So, I’m back online. I have lots of ideas but little to show for them, so instead of saying much, I’ll note that Tam Hunt is continuing his panpsychism at his own blog, and that I remain unconvinced. Also, I think that I can take an aspect of systematics and… Continue Reading
Academe Why philosophers should publish in science journals 16 Feb 2011 Generally my papers cause a mild reaction – like a dose of poison ivy. But i just had a paper published in Zootaxa, a mild mannered systematics journal, and as well as a two week turnaround, unheard of in philosophy (my last big paper took a year and a half),… Continue Reading
Evolution Arseholes! Systematics, phylogenetics and HPS 10 Feb 2011 There’s been some developments this day. First of all a defunct blog on history and philosophy of science has revived with a new skin and as a group blog: AmericanScience: A Team Blog. I keep wanting to say “F&*k yeah!” It used to be the Forum for the History of… Continue Reading
Quotes Taxonomy as product 5 Feb 2011 Taxonomists may be described as producers, their productions being the classifications and names of plants. The non-taxonomists may be likened to consumers, the aforesaid classifications and names being the commodities which they consume. Now the characteristics of a commodity are of importance not only to the consumer but also to… Continue Reading