Darwin-L Message Log 1:72 (September 1993)

Academic Discussion on the History and Theory of the Historical Sciences

This is one message from the Archives of Darwin-L (1993–1997), a professional discussion group on the history and theory of the historical sciences.

Note: Additional publications on evolution and the historical sciences by the Darwin-L list owner are available on SSRN.

---

<1:72>From acvascon@ibase.br  Wed Sep  8 18:36:11 1993

From: acvascon@ibase.br
Date: Wed, 8 Sep 93 20:36:36 BRA
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu
Subject: Re: basic phylogenetics bib

  I`d like to add some references to Bob O`Hara`s list. The first two papers
should be of great value to those people whom are not much familiar with
the European view concerning cladistics methodology. They cannot be absent
from your own collection.

  Schmidt-Kittler, N. & Willmann, R. 1989. Phylogeny and the classification
   of fossil and recent organisms. Proceedings of a Symposium held at Mainz
   University in march 1988. Hamburg, Verlag Paul Parey, 300 p.

  Ax, Peter. 1987. The Phylogenetic System _  The systematization of organisms
   on the basis of their phylogenesis. J. Wiley, 340 p.

  The next reference is addressed to people intersted to have a bettter
understanding concerning the war "Cladism X Gradism". Take a look at the
"hot" climate during the meeting at Lawrence in 1977.

  Cracraft, J. & Eldrege, N. 1979. Phylogenetic analysis and paleontology.
   New York, Columbia University Press, 233 p.

  Proceedings of a Symposium entitled "Phylogenetic Models" convened at
the North American Paleontological Convention II, Lawrence, Kansas,
August 8, 1977.


  Cladistics: Is it Really different from Classical Taxonomy?

  p.200

 "The cladists seem, unfortunately, to have swallowed a rhymic
  dictionary rich in classic roots of all sorts, the resulting deposit
  has now fertilized a plague of toadstools, sprouting on our beautiful
  taxonomic lawn".

  p.201

 "As far as I can see, the only notable difference between the cladist and
  the ordinary taxonomist going about his or her business with those
  drawers of specimens is that the cladist makes a fuss about the cerebral
  process involved, presents a graphical taxonomic outline-a cladogram-
  and insists on interjecting references to Western philosophers of all
  stripes. (thank God they have not yet discovered the Eastern philosophers..."

  p.201

 "...cladistics is anything but that poor old, grubby Cinderella, taxonomy,
 dressed up in a snappy new outfit and ridind in a cladogram drawn by I am
 not sure what type of organism."

              Arthur J. Boucot


   Phylogenetic Analysis, Evolutionary models, and Paleontology

  p. 20

 "A detailed analysis of Simpson`s efforts is not necessary here. It will
  suffice to say that attempted to synthesize viewpoints that often had
  premises fundamentally opposed to one another. Not unexpectedly, Simpson`s
  main allegiances fell on the side of paleontological tradition, and he
  remained essentially a Darwinian gradualist. Simpson`s analyses are
  extremely complex, and my desire is not to reduce them to a few summary
  statments if that means a misrepresentation of his position".

               Joel Cracraft


    An Introduction to the Logic of Phylogeny Reconstruction

 p. 79

 "A student being introduced to systematic zoology finds that there are a few
  standard textbooks by widely esteemed individuals (e.g. Simpson and Mayr),
  and these are immediately read with great enthusiasm. They seem to explain
  what one sees systematics doing and claim to derive their success from the
  synthetic theory of evolution. However, sooner or later, depending on the
  vitality of the academic environment, the student realizes that a growing
  proportion of practicing animal systematists do not regard many of the ideas
  propounded by those authors very highly. Instead he or she is told to
  recant Simpson and Mayr and count himself with Sokal and Sneath or to
  recant Simpson and Mayr and split himself off as a disciple of Henning.
  Generally speaking, most students, may weigh each argument objectively but,
  in the end, seem to adopt the methodology of the people surrouding them".

               Eugene S. Gaffney

 *********************************
 Alberto Correa de Vasconcellos
 R. Pereira da Silva, 140/301
 Laranjeiras Rio de Janeiro
 22221-140  Rio de Janeiro Brasil
 E-mail: acvascon@ax.ibase.br
 *********************************

---

Your Amazon purchases help support this website. Thank you!