"Few topics have engaged biologists and philosophers more than the concept of species, and arguably no idea is more important for evolutionary science. John S. Wilkins' book combines meticulous histor
The Evolution of Phylogenetic Systematics aims to make sense of the rise of phylogenetic systematics?its methods, its objects of study, and its theoretical foundations?with contributions from histori
Molecular studies reveal highly ordered geographic patterns in plant and animal distributions. The tropics illustrate these patterns of community immobilism leading to allopatric differentiation, as w
Novel and diverse logic-based applications are becoming more available to systematists. This book provides an updated, open-minded characterization of the "boundaries of logic" in systematic
Over time the complex idea of “species” has evolved, yet its meaning is far from resolved. This comprehensive work is a fresh look at an idea central to the field of biology by tracing its history fro
Is the theory of evolution by means of natural selection a tautology? This book explores the explanatory structure of Darwin’s theory at a time when selectionist explanations are being brought forward
This book is an extended argument for abandoning the various single concepts and the "species" rank. The author proposes that the rank of "species" be replaced by a pluralistic vie
Comparative biology became overtly evolutionary in the mid-19th century following acceptance of the ideas of Charles Darwin by Ernst Haeckel. During the next 100 years, these evolutionary concepts cha
Everyone uses species names and yet there are communication gaps between those who who name species (systematists) and those who use species names (everyone). Species are real, and have macroevolution
