Sagas of the Children of Time: The Importance of Phylogenetic Teaching in Biology

Sagas of the Children of Time: The Importance of Phylogenetic Teaching in Biology

Journal: Evolution: Education and Outreach
DOI 10.1007/s12052-010-0268-3
HTML

Daniel R. Brooks
Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON M5S 3G5, Canada
Abstract
Theodosius Dobznahnsky said nothing in biology makes sense except in the light of evolution. Nothing in evolution makes sense except in the light of the historical emergence of species. Species are the biological “children of time.” If we seek to understand them, historical narratives are essential elements of our causal explanations. Phylogenetic systematic analysis provides the Rosetta Stone for uncovering that narrative.

Keywords
Children of time, Phylogenetic narrative, Teaching, Evolution, Historical explanations