Re: Paleontology is science, not art

[KiernanCR@aol.com]

In a message dated 4/10/2000 11:43:37 AM Central Daylight Time, KiernanCR 
writes:

Though Matthew Bonnan has already responded to Toby White's post very  
eloquently, there's one more point that should be made.
  
> >but the reason people will spend countless uncompensated, or grossly under-
compensated,hours doing it is because of its aesthetics, its entertainment 
value.<<

Something to keep in mind is that most paleontologists don't work with 
dinosaurs, or even big exciting animals. Most paleontologists work with 
invertebrates and plants (mostly planktonics, at that), and I have some 
difficulty seeing how the study of Silurian ostracods or Pliocene diatoms is 
likely to fire the general public's imagination, or appeal to their sense of 
entertainment.

Caitlin R. Kiernan