[Cz-biology] How to settle the naming issue

[Larry Sanger]

Hi John,

I think the way forward is to identify a specific list of active (or at
least semi-active) biology editors, and ask them directly by e-mail.  Then
I'm sure you'd get a full set of responses.  People may be uncomfortable
making their views known publicly on an issue that seems to be
controversial.

I'm afraid that a little democracy is the only way that the decision will
seem to have legitimacy.

--Larry

> -----Original Message-----
> From: cz-biology-bounces at mail.citizendium.org 
> [mailto:cz-biology-bounces at mail.citizendium.org] On Behalf Of 
> John Moffett
> Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 10:05 AM
> To: 'Biology Workgroup List'
> Subject: Re: [Cz-biology] How to settle the naming issue
> 
> 
> Hi Larry,
> 
> I called for a vote of biology editors the other day, but did 
> not get much of a response.
> 
> My suggestion was to basically leave it to the writers to 
> decide if there was an unambiguous common name which would be 
> recognizable to all, such as "Giant panda", or "Raccoon". 
> Where common names are ambiguous or non-existent, then the 
> author would either pick a common name they felt was most 
> appropriate, or use the scientific name as they see fit.
> 
> I just don't see an article on the tomato plant being more 
> accurate if the page is titled "Lycopersicon Esculentum", 
> does anyone? I doubt it.
> 
> John M.
> 
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: cz-biology-bounces at voltaire.citizendium.org
> [mailto:cz-biology-bounces at voltaire.citizendium.org] On 
> Behalf Of Larry Sanger
> Sent: Tuesday, October 30, 2007 9:27 AM
> To: 'Biology Workgroup List'
> Cc: 'Kim van der Linde'
> Subject: [Cz-biology] How to settle the naming issue
> 
> All,
> 
> Here is something I posted, speaking as Editor-in-Chief, on 
> the "Giant Panda" talk page:
> 
> http://en.citizendium.org/wiki/Talk:Giant_Panda_%28Ailuropoda_
melanoleuca%29
#Article_title 

I want to stipulate, for future reference, that this sort of thing is a
decision to be made by the Biology Workgroup.  It is not really appropriate
to try to use particular CZ talk pages to settle general policy questions.

Consequently, it has *not* been settled that the English name will go before
the Latin name, and it most certainly is not up to a non-biologist to make
the determination what has or has not been settled.  Kim would be well
within her rights, as biology editor, to move the article back to its
previous name.  To settle the question, a biology editor should take a poll
of other active biology editors on a precise question, present me with the
result, and I will announce the result.

Does that sound reasonable as a stopgap decision method?

--Larry

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