[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index][Subject Index][Author Index]
Re: In (premature) defense of the USNM
You commented:
<The point however is, that the "weight" of evidence is shifting
to support
small feathered theropods in general.>
Well, not the weight of evidence, but the consistency of inference,
Mike. You're speaking of bracketing, which is the result of
an argument, specifically not the result of the integumentary
structures found.
Say you see a marking on a fossil that would, in a contemporary
animal, indicate placement of a large, strong muscle. Wouldn't
drawing the inference that the dino had a large strong muscle
at that location be closer to your source data than the whole
panoply of logic necessary to obtain a bracket?
Once you've created a scale of degrees of inference, then couldn't
someone reasonably draw a line after which the degree of inference
is considered excessive? Seems like a contrarian would appreciate
the option. Did you really advocate, 'Go with the flow?'
You would put hair on your human reconstruction? Even knowing
how much length, style, color, etc. indicate class and other
markers that might cause people to decide they wouldn't know
that person and so not look closely at the face? Interesting.
___________________________________________________________
Sent by ePrompter, the premier email notification software.
Free download at http://www.ePrompter.com.