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CLASSIFICATION AND EXPLANATION IN BIOLOGY
Author(s) -
Lehman Hugh
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
taxon
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.819
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1996-8175
pISSN - 0040-0262
DOI - 10.2307/1218879
Subject(s) - epistemology , argument (complex analysis) , simple (philosophy) , taxonomy (biology) , computer science , cognitive science , ecology , biology , psychology , philosophy , biochemistry
Summary In this paper I argue in favor of the use of the “biological” species concept rather than either a “typological” concept or a “morphological” concept. In simple form my argument is as follows: Biologists are not merely interested in storing data but in finding satisfactory explanations for that data. Taxonomy is an integral part of this theoretical enterprise. The most satisfactory theory at present for understanding (providing explanations for) biological phenomena is the synthetic theory of evolution. Development of this theory requires use of the biological species concept rather than the other species concepts. The basic limitation on the use of this concept is noted and some objections to the use of the concept are considered.