Phylocode, Cladistics and Eclecticism ...

[Thomas Lammers]

At 06:26 AM 3/13/02 +0100, S. Ingrisch wrote:

>According to the definition of a "cladist" speciation always gives rise
>to two new taxa even if one of the daughter taxa is genetically
>completely identic with the parent taxon. According to this definition
>paraphyletic taxa are artificial and should be eliminated. They are
>completely right.
>
>The "eclecticistic" definition differs. If after speciation one of the
>resulting taxa is genetically identic with what it was before, it is the
>same species. According to this definition one species may give rise so
>several daughter species. Thus paraphyletic taxa do really exist. They
>are also completely right.

They may both be "right" within the context of their definitions, but by
any objective standard, the former is a very very foolish definition.  The
act of speciation does not alter the original species in any demonstrable
fashion.  Any measure or characterization of that species taken before the
event will be EXACTLY the same after the event.  The cladistic insistence
that it IS something different  is merely a legalistic fiction required to
hold up the cladistic house of cards.  I say it again: The Emperor Has No
Clothes!

Principles & methodology have become more important than what really
happened.  In my book, that constitutes Bad Science.


Thomas G. Lammers, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor and Curator of the Herbarium (OSH)
Department of Biology and Microbiology
University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
Oshkosh, Wisconsin 54901-8640 USA

e-mail:       lammers at uwosh.edu
phone:      920-424-1002
fax:           920-424-1101

Plant systematics; classification, nomenclature, evolution, and
biogeography of the Campanulaceae s. lat.

Webpages:
http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/Lammers.htm
http://www.geocities.com/TheTropics/Resort/7156/lammers.html
http://www.uwosh.edu/departments/biology/herbarium/herbarium.html
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