Project R-10602

Taxonomic Disorder: A philosophical-taxonomic investigation into the role of values in species classification (Research)

It is widely accepted that we are facing a human-induced biodiversity crisis that is likely to have (and already has) a disastrous impact on all fields of human life. The biodiversity research and conservation efforts necessary to mitigate this crisis are crucially dependent on having a reliable inventory of biodiversity in the form of species classifications. However, current species classifications are in a state of disorder: there are dozens of competing species concepts and there are even more competing methods of species delimitation that taxonomists use to operationalize these concepts. While these different methods are epistemically equivalent in that they all meet the standards of taxonomy, they often lead to different outcomes for the same organisms. The consequence is that the outcomes of species delimitation are dependent on the pragmatic and value-laden factors that taxonomists rely on to choose between different good methods. This, in turn, leads to the current state of taxonomic disorder characterized by unstable classifications and the heterogeneity of groups recognized as species. The goal of this project is to combine the methods and insights from taxonomy and philosophy to analyze the causes and problematic consequences of taxonomic disorder, and to use these insights to contribute towards developing a much-needed solution.

01 January 2020 - 31 December 2023