RE: seeking clarification on the cladism debate (RE: hidden "cladistic" ranks)

[chris brochu <cbrochu@blue.weeg.uiowa.edu>]

Title: RE: seeking clarification on the cladism debate (RE: h

> Very observant!!  Yes, the main objections on the
> part of Dodson, Benton, etc. has to do with matters of taxonomy (the
> assigning of names) rather than phylogenetic reconstruction (the way
> we uncover the geometry of the tree of life).

Actually, based on Peter's recent American Zoologist contribution, I would argue that he is opposed not only to phylogenetic nomenclature, but also to parsimony-based reconstruction techniques.  Or at least that's how I read it.  So I wouldn't group him together with Mike Benton as "eclecticists," as their viewpoints are rather independent of each other.