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[Taxacom] New paper: Ruggiero et al. "A Higher Level Classification of All Living Organisms"

Richard Jensen rjensen at saintmarys.edu
Sun Jul 12 11:24:27 CDT 2015 

John,

You appear to be using consensus in a way that most of us are not.  While
consensus may be defined as unanimity, that is not often the case.   I
can't speak for all on the list, but my guess is that the consensus here is
that consensus means generally agreed upon, consistent with the
preponderance of evidence or some such view.

If you insist on applying you preferred definition to consensus, then
please make that clear for the sake of those reading your posts.

Cheers,

Dick J

On Sun, Jul 12, 2015 at 10:14 AM, John Grehan <calabar.john at gmail.com>
wrote:

> Interesting that since it is a majority view according to Karen, that the
> classification is actually not agreed upon by all of the participants.
> Hence it is not a consensus classification at all. The only consensus would
> seem to be by the minority views agreeing to subsume their disagreement/s
> in favor of the majority. So the classification is a representation of a
> majority of the participants it would seem.
>
> Consensus is often misapplied is systematics - in my opinion. Even for
> something that is claimed by some to be a systematic fact (and therefore
> unassailable) there may not be consensus. To use my favorite example, there
> is no consensus that chimps and humans are sister taxa. The number of
> people who disagree may number less than the number of digits on one's
> hands, but its still not a consensus. There may, however, be a consensus
> among smaller coalitions such molecular practitioners as I have not seen a
> single one who has opposed the chimp theory of relationship (but if anyone
> has found an exception please let me know!).
>
> John Grehan
>
> On Sun, Jul 12, 2015 at 12:57 AM, Karen Wilson <
> Karen.Wilson at rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au> wrote:
>
> > It certainly wasn't so when I was involved with the CoL some years ago,
> > Stephen, and I don't expect it has changed.
> > The only caveat is, as Rich said, that this is a consensus (or rather,
> > majority) view and therefore any researcher with hypotheses on taxon
> > relationships widely different from most other workers in that particular
> > field would have to persuade people that his/her hypothesis/view is more
> > explanatory /believable and, most importantly, useful in this context
> than
> > that/those of the other workers
> >
> > Karen W
> >
> >
> >
> ________________________________________________________________________________________________
> > Karen L. Wilson AM
> > Senior Research Scientist, National Herbarium of New South Wales
> >
> > Adjunct Associate Professor, University of New England, Armidale, NSW
> > Secretary, General Committee, International Code of Nomenclature for
> > Algae, Fungi & Plants
> >
> > Botanic Gardens & Centennial Parklands
> > T +61 (02) 9231 8137 | E karen.wilson at rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au
> > Royal Botanic Gardens & Domain Trust, Mrs Macquaries Road, Sydney NSW
> > 2000, Australia
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Stephen Thorpe [mailto:stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz]
> > Sent: Sunday, 12 July 2015 1:41 PM
> > To: Richard Jensen; Wilson Karen
> > Cc: Taxacom
> > Subject: Re: [Taxacom] New paper: Ruggiero et al. "A Higher Level
> > Classification of All Living Organisms"
> >
> > >you could help to improve future versions by getting involved with the
> > >project and contributing your expertise<
> >
> > I think it is by "invitation only" ...
> >
> >
> > --------------------------------------------
> > On Sun, 12/7/15, Karen Wilson <Karen.Wilson at rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au> wrote:
> >
> >  Subject: Re: [Taxacom] New paper: Ruggiero et al. "A Higher Level
> > Classification of All Living Organisms"
> >  To: "Richard Jensen" <rjensen at saintmarys.edu>
> >  Cc: "Taxacom" <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
> >  Received: Sunday, 12 July, 2015, 3:02 PM
> >
> >  Exactly, Dick.  This is intended
> >  as a pragmatic way to arrange/link information about all  organisms so
> > that the information can be made available  electronically, no more nor
> > less than that.
> >
> >  It is unrealistic to think that such a classification can  reflect all
> of
> > the most up-to-date research findings - or  that it can be changed very
> > frequently, given the  intellectual and keyboard effort needed to make
> such
> > changes  carefully to avoid losing links to the information.
> >
> >  Congratulations to my former colleagues at Species 2000 and  ITIS for
> > producing this updated classification for the  Catalogue of Life (and for
> > use by any other digital system  that needs one).
> >
> >  For those picking holes in certain areas of it: you could  help to
> > improve future versions by getting involved with the  project and
> > contributing your expertise.
> >  Just a thought.
> >
> >  Karen Wilson
> >
> >
> >
> ________________________________________________________________________________________________
> >  Karen L. Wilson AM
> >  Senior Research Scientist, National Herbarium of New South  Wales
> >
> >  Adjunct Associate Professor, University of New England,  Armidale, NSW
> > Secretary, General Committee, International Code of  Nomenclature for
> > Algae, Fungi & Plants
> >
> >  Botanic Gardens & Centennial Parklands
> >  T +61 (02) 9231 8137 | E karen.wilson at rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au  Royal Botanic
> > Gardens & Domain Trust, Mrs Macquaries  Road, Sydney NSW 2000, Australia
> >
> >  -----Original Message-----
> >  From: Taxacom [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu]
> >  On Behalf Of Richard Jensen
> >  Sent: Saturday, 11 July 2015 11:57 PM
> >  To: Stephen Thorpe
> >  Cc: Taxacom
> >  Subject: Re: [Taxacom] New paper: Ruggiero et al. "A Higher  Level
> > Classification of All Living Organisms"
> >
> >  Hi all,
> >
> >  ... Based on what I've read here, the new classification  attempts to
> > provide a useful consensus.
> >
> >  Cheers,
> >
> >  Dick J
> >
> >
> >
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-- 
Richard Jensen, Professor
Department of Biology
Saint Mary's College
Notre Dame, IN 46556

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