Published December 2012
| Accepted Version + Published
Journal Article
Open
The Future of Systematics: Tree Thinking without the Tree
- Creators
- Velasco, Joel D.
Abstract
Phylogenetic trees are meant to represent the genealogical history of life and apparently derive their justification from the existence of the tree of life and the fact that evolutionary processes are treelike. However, there are a number of problems for these assumptions. Here it is argued that once we understand the important role that phylogenetic trees play as models that contain idealizations, we can accept these criticisms and deny the reality of the tree while justifying the continued use of trees in phylogenetic theory and preserving nearly all of what defenders of trees have called the "importance of tree thinking."
Additional Information
© 2012 by the Philosophy of Science Association.Attached Files
Published - velasco12-futuresystematics.pdf
Accepted Version - VelascoFutureSystematics_preprint_.pdf
Files
velasco12-futuresystematics.pdf
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Additional details
- Eprint ID
- 35628
- Resolver ID
- CaltechAUTHORS:20121126-101424158
- Created
-
2012-11-26Created from EPrint's datestamp field
- Updated
-
2021-11-09Created from EPrint's last_modified field