Richard Feynman stated, \"You can know the name of a bird in all the languages o
ID: 133467 • Letter: R
Question
Richard Feynman stated, "You can know the name of a bird in all the languages of the world but when you're finished, you'll know absolutely nothing whatever abou the bird.. earned very early the difference between knowing the name of sing and knowing something. Reflect upon Dr. Feynman's quote, then explain the primary goal and importance of the fields of systematics, taxonomy, and phylogeny. How are they the same and how are they different? Why are these fields important? Your target audience is a group of junior biology majors taking their first systematics courseExplanation / Answer
Systematics refers to the study and classification of organisms for the determination of the evolutionary relationship of organisms. It is involved in the classification, naming, cladistics and phylogenetics and based on evolutionary theory of organisms. Systematics is a fixed approach and does not change with further studies
Importance: It helps to distinguish whether a similarity during classification of organisms is due to the result of homology or analogy
Phylogenetics is the science of the pattern in which evolution occured. It is also based on evolutionary theory which states that groups of similar organsims are descended from a common ancestor. Phylogenetic classification is thus based on evolutionary history. It seeks to establish dichotimously branching diagram of the history of life which relies upon statistical analysis of the percentage of characters held in common between the various organisms under investigation. Thus, it creates a tree of life which describes how two organisms are closely related and allied to each other. It can be used to test phylogenetic hypothesis.
Importance: It gives information about similar characteristics on closely related species thus helps us to know how a group of organisms are closely related to their common ancestor
Taxonomy is a branch of systematic and involves the classification of organisms in biology. It is involved in the naming and classification of organisms. It is not based on evolutionary history of organisms, thus can change with further studies. It is more of a genetic perspective in which human attempt to establish a pre-conceived order upon the world to their own ends. This was first introduced by Carl Linnaeus which imposes order on biological entities. It uses botanical code. It is illustrated by photo (unlike tree of life seen in phylogeny) and represented by specimen.
Importance: Taxonomy helps us how to name and make it valid eventhough it does not explain why to do so. It can focus either on similarities or differences.
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