Center for Biology and Society
History and Philosophy of Systematics
The Project in the History and Philosophy of Systematics is a joint effort of faculty and students at the Center for Biology and Society and ASU's Institute for International Species Exploration. Andrew Hamilton directs it. The Project aims to investigate the conceptual, epistemological, and historical bases of systematics, taxonomy, and nomenclature as well as the policy and value implications of biological practice in these areas, especially with respect to biodiversity and other considerations of conservation biology.
While systematics has long been recognized by historians and philosophers of biology as a rich area of study, one goal of the Project is to work closely with the scientific community to bring joint expertise to bear on particular problems. Among the topics we are actively addressing are:
- Is there a single, testable species concept? If not, what suite of concepts do we need?
- What is the relationship between taxonomy and the rest of biology? What, if anything, makes taxonomy an autonomous science?
- The second half of the 20th century was a remarkable period of change in systematics, but little has been written about it from a historical perspective. What were the positive and negative impacts of the new systematics, phenetics, evolutionary taxonomy, and cladistics?
- What is the proper role of nomenclature in systematics and taxonomy? How does/should nomenclature inform or reflect the underlying theoretical structure of systematic biology?
- What are the underlying assumptions and implications of projects like the NSF-funded Tree of Life and the Encyclopedia of Life?
- How have new imaging and database technologies changed the face of taxonomy?
Contact: Andrew Hamilton