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Biological Classification—Organizing Organisms

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  26 July 2017

Claus Hedegaard
Claus Hedegaard*
Affiliation:
Department of Genetics and Ecology, Institute of Biology, University of Aarhus, Bldg. 550, Ny Munkegade, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
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Extract

This is a personal guided tour of biological classification, not a quick-and-dirty manual, nor a comprehensive account of the history of systematic biology. This is a reflection on why and how we classify extinct and extant organisms. I wish to explore alternative views of hierarchy, permanence and delineation of categories, and the use of data. I hope to convince you that biological classifications are necessary tools, but also strong ideological statements. The prevailing approach to classification at any time reflects distinct views on nature, how it is organized, and how you use information.

Type
Section 2: Organizing the Data
Information
The Paleontological Society Special Publications , Volume 11: Evolution: Investigating the Evidence, 2nd ed. , 2002 , pp. 63 - 76
Copyright
Copyright © 1999, 2002 by The Paleontological Society 

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