Abstract
IT has probably occurred to a good many readers of NATURE that it would be well if some one were to utter a word of warning as to the mischief which may be done, and especially to students, by the present fashion of explaining all kinds of complicated morphological phenomena in a more or less purely deductive fashion. It is no doubt pleasant, even fascinating, to sit down at one's desk and, having formulated a few fundamental assumptions, to spin out from these explanations of what we see in the world about us. But I think when done it should be understood that the result is merely a literary performance, and though, viewed in that aspect, one may admire the skill and neatness with which it is accomplished, I nevertheless venture to think that the whole proceeding is harmful.
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DYER, W. DEDUCTIVE BIOLOGY . Nature 27, 554–555 (1883). https://doi.org/10.1038/027554a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/027554a0