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Quote by Louis Agassiz

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An Essay on Classification

This book delves into the theoretical and practical aspects of classification, examining its role in organizing knowledge across different fields of study. more

Author

Louis Agassiz
Louis Agassiz

Louis Agassiz, born on May 28, 1807 in Switzerland and died on December 14, 1873 in the United States, was a renowned geologist in the 19th century. He made significant contributions to the fields of paleontology and geology. more

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“Taxonomy (the science of classification) is often undervalued as a glorified form of filing-with each species in its folder, like a stamp in its prescribed place in an album; but taxonomy is a fundamental and dynamic science, dedicated to exploring the causes of relationships and similarities among organisms. Classifications are theories about the basis of natural order, not dull catalogues compiled only to avoid chaos.”

“The first thing the intellect does with an object is to class it along with something else. But any object that is infinitely important to us and awakens our devotion feels to us also as if it must be sui generis and unique. Probably a crab would be filled with a sense of personal outrage if it could hear us class it without ado or apology as a crustacean, and thus dispose of it. 'I am no such thing,' it would say; 'I am MYSELF, MYSELF alone.”

“The intrusion of history is not just theoretical. It is also the legacy of being an accomplice or a victim, or just an onlooker. In each case, history entails the uncomfortable presence of earlier unresolved roles.”