[tcs-lc] TCS/LC Name Domain

[Gregor Hagedorn]

> 1. To identify is to link an observation to a concept.
> 
> 3. The list of birds I have observed around my home is a list of
> identifications. A determination label on a museum specimen is an
> identification, even though the specific concept being linked to might be
> unclear. A publication that lists the taxa known from a specific geographic
> area is a list of identifications if and only if there is a statement as to
> which field guide or other authoritative set of concepts the names are being
> linked to; otherwise it is a list of concepts (albeit rather vague, as in the
> ITIS list).

Taken strictly: Does that implies that all current identifications on specimen
labels or in publications define concepts because the are name usage
instancesrather than links to concepts?

I do not content that there is a distinction between identification and concept
definition, but think it is not that simple - and extremely hard to define. I
feel unable to define whether someone who publishes that some species occurs in
a geographic area, on a specific host plant, has certain enzymatic activities,
produces some metabolites, or has a published DNA sequences is only identifying
species or publishing a new concept.

In the DNA community the publication of sufficient amount of sequences is fully
acceptable concept definition. It is complete, sufficient, and probably more
reliable than a morphological diagnosis. The morphological diagnosis is more
convenient to those not having the molecular tools and the money, though. But
then for yeasts, publishing a set of enzymatic activities also is THE main part
of diagnosis.

Can we define when someone intends to define a new concept, when someone 
intends to apply a concept in an identification, and when something is 
undefined? I believe 99% of biological knowledge is in the latter category.

Gregor
----------------------------------------------------------
Gregor Hagedorn (G.Hagedorn at bba.de)
Institute for Plant Virology, Microbiology, and Biosafety
Federal Research Center for Agriculture and Forestry (BBA)
Königin-Luise-Str. 19           Tel: +49-30-8304-2220
14195 Berlin, Germany           Fax: +49-30-8304-2203