Whew! (Spiders!)

After a three day workshop on the future and nature of taxonomy (or systematics; I’m still unconvinced there’s a difference) I am exhausted and enthused. The former because of the massive amounts of beer we drank, and the latter, well, because of the massive amounts of beer we drank, and the conversations that followed.

In particular I am very impressed by Quentin Wheeler’s International Institute for Species Exploration, and the outreach program, “Planet Bob“, both of which stress the vital need to identify, describe and study the planet’s biodiversity in detail before it is all gone (and so it can be retained and not lost!).

What is most interesting to me as a philosopher is that the IISE includes philosophers, historians and sociologists in its project. And the history of systematics (or taxonomy), a subject dear to my heart, is crucial. If we want to ensure that we actually do the systematics of life, rather than just talk about it or make available the old knowledge, funding, and therefore understanding of the need, for taxonomy must be found, and found now.

An excellent talk by Norman Platnick on spider taxonomy convinced me that this is not a pipe dream – we can achieve a complete taxonomy within our lifetimes. But not if we insist on using simplistic measures like “DNA Barcoding” as a substitute for actual taxonomy.

I gave a talk that nobody beat me up on afterwards, on the philosophy of taxonomy, so it has been fun. Now to rest for a day or so… John Lynch gave me tickets to go see Dawkins tonight. Anyone in Phoenix want to go with me? I have one spare, as Lynch has to deal with kids or somesuch.