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<title>sci.anthropology.paleo: Oct-95: Re: does hubey have a point?</title>
<h1>Re: does hubey have a point?</h1>
David Froehlich (<i>eohippus@curly.cc.utexas.edu</i>)<br>
<i>Tue, 10 Oct 1995 16:20:34 -0500</i>
<p>
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On 9 Oct 1995, H. M. Hubey wrote:<br>
<p>
Once again I can't believe I am answering thia guy. (in no way is my <br>
anserwing this to be considered a validation of Mr. Hubey's ability to do <br>
science (or at least this science))<br>
<p>
<p>
On 9 Oct 1995, H . M. Hubey wrote:<br>
<p>
<i>> Then the fun part comes. YOu can do this will all sorts of bones. </i><br>
<i>> And you can do this with full bodies too. And then what. Well</i><br>
<i>> this is where you can finally produce numbers which will </i><br>
<i>> measure "distances" (morphologically) of skeletons from</i><br>
<i>> other skeletons. </i><br>
<p>
fundamental assumption here that the transition was continuous and monotonic<br>
<p>
<i>> </i><br>
<i>> And that is what you want; "distances". Because the analogical</i><br>
<i>> reasoning that is used is based on "similarity". And</i><br>
<i>> the word "similar" really means that the "distance" between</i><br>
<i>> the two is shorter than the distance between two that are</i><br>
<i>> not similar.</i><br>
<p>
Once again, Mr Hubey demonstrates his ignorance of the methodology that <br>
we use. We are not looking for "similarity" or for "morphological <br>
distances". As a systematist, we use shared derived features, <br>
evolutionary novelties to unite groups of organisms into clades. Why <br>
does throwing numbers at a problem help at all? This does not mean that <br>
I disagree that quantification is not something to be strived for, rather <br>
I disagree that a number is necessarily better than a word. Mr. Hubey <br>
wants us to quantify bipedality-quadrupedality, while I think this is a <br>
gross oversimplification of the problem. Just within ungulates there are <br>
numerous ways of being quadrupedal, and Mr. Hubey wants us to lump all of <br>
that diversity into a single number. Ultimately my concern is that <br>
numbers without understanding is no better than drivel (which I submit <br>
has not been in short supply on these posts).<br>
<p>
<i>> Pay attention to what I write. Don't read into it what you</i><br>
<i>> want to read into it. What you comprehend is a function</i><br>
<i>> of not only what i write but also your own capability.</i><br>
<i>> </i><br>
<p>
And your understanding and ability to communicate. Besides, why should we <br>
bother to pay attention when the reverse is pattently not the case.<br>
<p>
David J. Froehlich Phone: 512-471-6088 <br>
Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory Fax: 512-471-5973<br>
J.J. Pickle Research Campus<br>
The University of Texas, Austin, Texas 78712<br>
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<li> <b>Next in thread:</b> <a href="0494.html">H. M. Hubey: "Re: does hubey have a point?"</a>
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