[tcs-lc] Minor modifications prior TDWG ratification vote

[Jerry Cooper]

All,

I'm not sure I agree with this simplistic interpretaion of incertae sedis. I thought it meant 
 the author could not place it in any of the existing  named higher ranks in his circumscription of the taxon (which incorporates a concept of the higher classification). e.g. that none of the existing families in a particular classification he wishes to adopt is suitable for his taxon. Thus incertae sedis carries concept information, as does any component of the higher classification applied to a taxon. In my opinion it is a necessary statement about the absence of information and not just a lack of data.

Jerry 

>>> "Donald Hobern" <dhobern at gbif.org> 18/09/2005 11:33:56 a.m. >>>
For what it's worth, I feel the same as Rich on this.  The TCS should not
attempt to be a vehicle for transfer of all information in a taxonomic
document - only of that which can in some way be used.

Donald
 
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Donald Hobern (dhobern at gbif.org)
Programme Officer for Data Access and Database Interoperability 
Global Biodiversity Information Facility Secretariat 
Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark
Tel: +45-35321483   Mobile: +45-28751483   Fax: +45-35321480
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-----Original Message-----
From: tcs-lc-bounces at ecoinformatics.org 
[mailto:tcs-lc-bounces at ecoinformatics.org] On Behalf Of Richard Pyle
Sent: 18 September 2005 08:53
To: Nozomi Ytow; tcs-lc at ecoinformatics.org 
Subject: Re: [tcs-lc] Minor modifications prior TDWG ratification vote

> Not "unknown to data provider" but "stated incertae sedis by the
> author".  "Unknow to data provider" can happen when author did
> not specify the higher rank, but it is not incertae sedis except
> the author stated explicitly (either as incertae sedis or in
> natural language).

Ah!!  I now have a glimmer of understanding!  If the purpose is simply to
record the fact that the author used the term "incertae sedis" in the
publication, then I do not consider this information important for purposes
of TCS, because it does not help us understand anything about the Concept
definition, or relationships to other concepts.  There are many other kinds
of information that authors include with their use of names and concepts,
which are not included in TCS.

Aloha,
Rich


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