Evolution quotes 12 Jun 2010 Evolution and phylogeny.—Evolution is the process and phylogeny the record of descent. Phylogeny is thus the measure of relationship, and is to be expressed in terms of community of ancestry; hence, if relationship is to express evolution adequately, it must take account of each change, from the branch to the variad. It must arrange these in their proper phylogenetic order, and denote them by such terms as will clearly indicate their fixed phylogenetic position. This has long been done for the most part, but the fact has too often been overlooked that the sequence of changes is fixed in practically all regions of intense evolution. The genus exhibits lines of evolution expressed in the sections, and the species shows more recent changes marked by variads. … A natural classification must maintain as well as reveal the different degrees of relationship ‘as expressions of different stages of evolution, and it can do this most accurately with genera, sections, species, and variads, where the lines of evolution are still in a condition conducive to experimental study. [Hall, Harvey Monroe and Clements, Frederick E. (1923), The phylogenetic method in taxonomy; the North American species of Artemisia, Chrysothamnus, and Atriplex (On verso of t.-p.: Carnegie institution of Washington. Publication no. 326; Washington,: The Carnegie institution of Washington) 1 l., iv, 355, p 5.] Evolution Quotes Systematics EvolutionQuotes
Ecology and Biodiversity Supernatural selection 2 6 May 20104 Oct 2017 Part one is here. Rossano divides naturalistic explanations of religion into five distinct types: (1) commitment theories, (2) cognitive theories, (3) ecological theories, (4) performance theories, and (5) experiential theories.I want to discuss this taxonomy. Read More
Biology Names and nomenclature in classification 17 Jul 2010 One of the main focuses in the literature, especially in biology, regarding classification is the problem of nomenclature, of names. Many treat classification as being all about names, an error that is akin to mistaking not the map for the territory, but the names on the map for the territory…. Read More
Epistemology Natural classification and the dynamics of science 6 Aug 201018 Sep 2017 About thirty years ago there was much talk that geologists ought only to observe and not to theorize; and I well remember someone saying that at this rate a man might as well go into a gravel pit and count the pebbles and describe their colours. How odd it is… Read More