EEB362H1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Karl Popper, Homeothermy, Numerical Taxonomy
16 Sep 2016
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Looking at how we look for relationships among groups of organisms. Humans are geared to seeing bifurcating groups: aristotle grouped organisms on whether or not they had red blood. 3 attempts at reconstructing relationships among groups of organisms. Groups clustered based on degree of similarity. Ex: tigers, lions, cougars, goats: tigers, lions, cougars share more characteristics than a goat, so group them. Problem(s): d of s was focus of debate, and debate based on authority (no quantitative method, is lion more closely related to tiger or cougar, people argued about importance of character: Ex: birds grouped with mammals b/c both were warm-blooded. Neglect osteology similarities between birds + reptiles. Doing science right: make hypothesis collect data data refutes hypothesis make new hypothesis . Collect data data refutes hypothesis : if cannot falsify you hypothesis, then it"s bad, no way to falsify a hypothesis based on authoritarian assertions.
