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 a deal of pseudo science, unripe science—were it not undignified I would characterize some of it by an expressive monosyllabic word suggesting decomposition—published about species by the taxonomists, but I suspect that there is also a large deal of like obnoxious material lying at the doors of the physiologists and ecologists and morphologists. But that fact does not make taxonomy or ecology anything less of a science, nor the work of able men in either less valuable. I am a little weary of hearing from narrow specialists in other departments of biology constant condensation of the taxonomist, and I have been hearing such for the past fifteen years from men who should know better. “What is a Species?”, Samuel W. Williston, 1908. The American Naturalist, Volume 42 (495), 184-194. History Philosophy Quotes Science Species and systematics Species concept Systematics
Accommodationism Accommodating Science: Neurobiology and the mind 1 27 Mar 201427 Mar 2014 [This is part of the as yet unfinished section of the “Which Science? chapter.] The argument over evolution versus intelligent design … is a relatively small-stakes theological issue compared with the potential eruption in neuroscience over the material nature of the mind. Siding with evolution does not really pose a… Read More
Book Aware updates 20 Feb 202420 Feb 2024 Oops, I forgot to post links to my latest chapters of Aware on Substack: Desires Morals and Values There are perhaps two chapters and a conclusion to come. Read More
General Science Vitalism 17 Oct 2008 Melvyn Bragg, always an informed and interesting interviewer, has a podcast up from BBC Radio of an interview on the topic of vitalism in biology. Here the experts chosen are Patricia Fara, Fellow of Clare College and Affiliated Lecturer in the Department of History and Philosophy of Science at Cambridge… Read More