[Taxacom] Justifying species?

[Curtis Clark]

On 2008-02-16 18:47, Bob Mesibov wrote:
> Here we have taxonomists explicitly considering varied species concepts
> and using their character evidence to build what I might call a
> 'defense' of their decision to erect new species. *In other words, the
> more species concepts the taxon fits, the greater the justification for
> naming it a Linnean species.*
> 
> I haven't seen this philosophical approach to erecting new species
> before. Is it becoming more common now?

I hope so, not because there is any value in having species concepts 
"vote", but rather because the exercise requires careful attention to 
the data, which is always a good thing.

Back when I did botany for a living, I also used multifaceted arguments 
for submerging or elevating species, although not with direct reference 
to species concepts.

-- 
Curtis Clark                  http://www.csupomona.edu/~jcclark/
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