[Taxacom] A good year indeed!

[JF Mate]

> As in all human enterprises, the laws of Malthus apply to our science.Our "reproductive capacity" is far higher than the carrying capacity of our institutions. There will always be a larger supply of propagules than can survive (i.e. be provided academic jobs), and selection will take the best and discard the others, often a majority. Some cohorts will have very strong selection, so that a tiny percentage make it through, and at other times selection will be relaxed, and a larger percentage will make it. Of course, this means that sometimes very excellent propagules will be discarded in lean times, and less excellent ones will make it through in fat times. However, the academic reproductive rate will always provide a diverse pool with different attributes and abilities, so that the overall resulting set will be maximally beneficial to the future.

Mike, you are flogging a dead horse with a new stick. Do you think it
wise to appeal to social darwinism to support your own personal
opinion?

Best

Jason