--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The science of systematics has long been…" description: "\"The science of systematics has long been affected by profound philosophical preconceptions, which have been all the more influential for being usually ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_affected_the-science-of-systematics-has-long-been_2393279.jpg" --- # The science of systematics has long been affected by… ![“The science of systematics has long been affected by profound philosophical preconceptions, which have been all the more influential for being usually covert, even subconscious.” quote by George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_affected_the-science-of-systematics-has-long-been_2393279.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_affected_the-science-of-systematics-has-long-been_2393279.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/de7/george-gaylord-simpson-21614_affected_the-science-of-systematics-has-long-been_2393279.jpg) > “The science of systematics has long been affected by profound philosophical preconceptions, which have been all the more influential for being usually covert, even subconscious.” [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Scientific classification is shaped by hidden philosophical biases that influence how we organize knowledge. **In simple terms:** Hidden biases affect how we classify life. Key Takeaway Recognize and question underlying assumptions. Themes science philosophy taxonomy bias methodology Mood reflective critical analytical Type philosophical educational When to use this quote - research design - education curricula - policy making - interdisciplinary collaboration Key Concepts epistemology paradigm shifts conceptual frameworks Questions to Reflect On - What assumptions guide your classification choices? - How can you uncover hidden biases? A Different Perspective Biases can be unconscious, making them hard to detect. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Affected](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affected/) [Covert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covert/) [Covert Subconscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/covert-subconscious-5968075/) [Has beens](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/has-beens/) [Influence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influence/) [Influential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/influential/) [Long](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/long/) [Philosophical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical/) [Philosophical Preconceptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophical-preconceptions-5968074/) [Philosophy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/philosophy/) [Preconceptions](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preconceptions/) [Preconceptions Influential](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preconceptions-influential-5968073/) [Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profound/) [Science](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/science/) [Subconscious](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/subconscious/) ## Related quotes > [I think we're probably only about halfway through the number of revelations. 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I'm not sure if it was the news about Boo or my general…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/no-one-hid-their-interest-when-i-walked-into-the-room-i-m-not-sure-if/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [I think it's something that the citizenry needs to be vigilant about - participating in democracy, and that includes issues like what's going on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matt-damon/i-think-it-s-something-that-the-citizenry-needs-to-be-vigilant-about/) [Matt Damon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matt-damon/) > [When two men of science disagree, they do not invoke the secular arm; they wait for further evidence to decide the issue, because, as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bertrand-russell/when-two-men-of-science-disagree-they-do-not-invoke-the-secular-arm/) [Bertrand Russell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bertrand-russell/) > [Covert Operations Report At approximately 0900 hours on Saturday, October 14, Operative Morgan was given a stern lecture by Agent Townsend, a tracking device…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ally-carter/covert-operations-report-at-approximately-0900-hours-on-saturday/) [Ally Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ally-carter/) > [“Dr. Stern’s explanation of how to identify this kind of covert emotional control and abuse, and how to resist it, is a very important…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-stern/dr-stern-s-explanation-of-how-to-identify-this-kind-of-covert/) [Robin Stern](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-stern/) > [ We have the ability to take him \[President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez\] out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pat-robertson/we-have-the-ability-to-take-him-president-of-venezuela-hugo-chavez/) [Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pat-robertson/) > [It was during George W. Bush's presidency that Iran mastered the nuclear fuel cycle, that they built covert facilities, that they stocked them with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/it-was-during-george-w-bush-s-presidency-that-iran-mastered-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) ## More by George Gaylord Simpson > [The fact -- not theory -- that evolution has occurred and the Darwinian theory as to how it occurred have become so confused in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-fact-not-theory-that-evolution-has-occurred-and-the-darwinian/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [“The passion for naming things is an odd human trait. It is strange that men always feel so much more at ease when they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-passion-for-naming-things-is-an-odd-human-trait-it-is-strange/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [A rill in a barnyard and the Grand Canyon represent, in the main, stages of valley erosion that began some millions of years apart.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/a-rill-in-a-barnyard-and-the-grand-canyon-represent-in-the-main/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [If a sect does officially insist that its structure of belief demands that evolution be false, then no compromise is possible. 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He is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/man-is-the-result-of-a-purposeless-and-materialistic-process-that-did/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [I don't know where to put whales. I'm sticking them here, but I don't have any reason for it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/i-don-t-know-where-to-put-whales-i-m-sticking-them-here-but-i-don-t/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Almost all paleontologists recognize that the discovery of a complete transition is in any case unlikely.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/almost-all-paleontologists-recognize-that-the-discovery-of-a-complete/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [To put it crudely but graphically, the monkey who did not have a realistic perception of the tree branch he jumped for was soon…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/to-put-it-crudely-but-graphically-the-monkey-who-did-not-have-a/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Man has risen, not fallen. He can choose to develop his capacities as the highest animal and to try to rise still farther, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/man-has-risen-not-fallen-he-can-choose-to-develop-his-capacities-as/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [...the argument from absence of transitional types boils down to the striking fact that such types are always lacking unless they have been found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-argument-from-absence-of-transitional-types-boils-down-to-the/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [It remains true, as every paleontologist knows, that most new species, genera, and families, and that nearly all categories above the level of families,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/it-remains-true-as-every-paleontologist-knows-that-most-new-species/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [The search for historical laws is, I maintain, mistaken in principle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/the-search-for-historical-laws-is-i-maintain-mistaken-in-principle/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) > [Certainly paleontologists have found samples of an extremely small fraction, only, of the earth's extinct species, and even for groups that are most readily…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-gaylord-simpson/certainly-paleontologists-have-found-samples-of-an-extremely-small/) [George Gaylord Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) [Explore all 29 George Gaylord Simpson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-gaylord-simpson/) ## More Affected quotes > [To tell you the truth I am hard put to think of anyone who's career was affected significantly by making all those phone calls…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dabney-coleman/to-tell-you-the-truth-i-am-hard-put-to-think-of-anyone-who-s-career/) [Dabney Coleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dabney-coleman/) > [First, climate change is the greatest long-term threat faced by humanity. 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Instead, show them that you are happy even without them.. To put a sad face on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharlene05/don-t-show-them-that-you-are-affected-instead-show-them-that-you-are/) [Sharlene05](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharlene05/) > [I wish we could go back to the time when the private lives of our public figures were relevant only if they directly affected…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/doris-kearns-goodwin/i-wish-we-could-go-back-to-the-time-when-the-private-lives-of-our/) [Doris Kearns Goodwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/doris-kearns-goodwin/) > [Don't be intimidated by people who seem to be experts. Hear their points of view and get their judgements. But at the end of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-dallek/don-t-be-intimidated-by-people-who-seem-to-be-experts-hear-their/) [Robert Dallek](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-dallek/) > [Who what am I? 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