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From: rcd@opus.UUCP (Dick Dunn)
Newsgroups: net.origins
Subject: Re: Kinds
Message-ID: <816@opus.UUCP>
Date: Tue, 25-Sep-84 02:47:11 EDT
Article-I.D.: opus.816
Posted: Tue Sep 25 02:47:11 1984
Date-Received: Tue, 25-Sep-84 05:34:06 EDT
References: <286@uwmacc.UUCP>
Organization: NBI, Boulder
Lines: 34

> >I would love to see a succinct, testable definition of "major kinds of plants
> >and animals".
>
> "We must here define what we mean by a basic kind.  A basic
> animal or plant kind would include all animal or plants which
> were truly derived from a single stock.  In present-day terms,
> it would be said that they have shared a common gene pool.
>...[explanation that basic kind might occur at a level which, according to
conventional taxonomy, is species in one case; genus in another--illustrates
difference between "kind" and "species"]...
> "In the above discussion, we have defined a basic kind as
> including all of those variants which have been derived
> from a single stock."
> ---
> Note that creationists do not deny variability that takes
> place within what is above defined as a kind.  What is denied
> is that two kinds have a common ancestor...

In effect, then, I see two salient characteristics of "kind":
	- the term means whatever it must mean--I'm referring to the idea
	  that "kind" refers to all animals plants derived from a single
	  stock.  What is a single stock?  Well, gee, it's what makes up a
	  "kind".  Stated differently,
		circular definition:  see definition, circular
		. . .
		definition, circular: see...(oh come on, you can guess it:-)
	- the term is defined so as to exclude evolution a priori, as a
	  consequence of the definition.  One could not use arguments and
	  evidence for evolution to argue against this taxonomic scheme,
	  because it rejects an evolutionary explanation by definition--
	  "what is denied is that two kinds have a common ancestor..."
-- 
Dick Dunn	{hao,ucbvax,allegra}!nbires!rcd		(303)444-5710 x3086
   ...Never offend with style when you can offend with substance.