Permaculture Information Web

[Stephanie Gerson <sgerson AT stanfordalumni.org>]

Wonderful response, Doctor Williamson ;)

You suggested that "instead of using words like pest, disease, weed, etc, 
I for one would prefer to see a simple term like "known problems" and for 
Pc-characteristics perhaps "Uses - culinary/medicinal/other"?..."

I suggest we approach PIW as an opportunity to create a more meaningful 
and useful taxonomy.  Sure - change the words, change the criteria 
determining whether or not plants are grouped together (for example, 
according to functional characteristics, i.e. ground cover, medicinal 
properties, nitrogen fixation).  Organize the plants according to 
information valuable for *our* purposes.  

This emergent taxonomy would be an incredibly valuable fruit of PIW.  
Case in point:

"According to Dr. Murray, the following is as true for strawberries, as 
it is for apricots, cherries, nectarines, peaches and plums (all, 
including the strawberries, are in the same family) and I would 
therefore not hesitate to conclude that it would be the same for 
almonds, apples, pears and quinces (which are also in the same family).  
But nettle isn't.  Misguided invention?"

Or opportunity for interpretive taxonomy?

peace
*Stephanie

 


+++++++++++++++
Stephanie Gerson
sgerson AT stanfordalumni.org
(c) 415.871.5683


____________________________________________________________________