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On (classification and description of) the theory of evolution
Charles Darwin put forward the then prevaling idea that evolution has created species.
Carl von Linné earlier commented on this idea by that: “no, not the species, but maybe the genera”.
The difference between Darwin and Linné is that whereas Linné first classified biodiversity and then discussed biodiversity using the classification, Darwin instead discussed Linné’s classification of biodiversity. Linné used classification as the tool it is to discuss biodiversity, whereas Darwin discussed Linné’s classification of biodiversity.
Although both of them may be right in that evlution has created biodiversity, both of them are, however, wrong on the specifics. If evolution indeed has created biodiversity, then there are several just as consistent (ie, correct) descriptions of this creation in terms of “genera”, and no consistent description of it in terms of “species”. The problem is that classification is inherently paradoxically contradictory, as Bertrand Russell demonstrated, and thus that there isn’t any both consistent and unambiguous classification (of anything).
Even if evolution has created biodiversity, there thus isn’t any both consistent and unambiguous classification of (and thus no such description of) this creation. This fact may be difficult to understand, but it is none the less a fact. The closest we can come to such a classification (and thus to such a description) is a Linnean system of classification. Every strictly Darwinian (ie, cladistic) classification is actually paradoxically contradictory (except possibly a strictly symmetrical classification consisting of a multiple of two species).
The problem with evolution is thus that it can’t be classified (and thus neither described) unambiguously-
Source: http://menvall.wordpress.com/2014/06/02/on-classification-and-description-of-the-theory-of-evolution/
