Strickland, Nicolson, Knapp e Machado.

Bibliografia utilizada para elaboração de um projeto de PIBIC.

Strickland (1843 e 1878)

• Strcikland (1843) é o relatório da comissão designada pela British Association for the Advancement of Science (BAAS) para deliberar sobre as questões relacionadas a nomenclatura científica. Uma comissão foi formada, da qual Strickland era o relator, e as conclusões as quais chegaram (e um sem número de correspondentes) ao longo de diversas reuniões em 1842 foram publicadas no ano seguinte contendo as regras e recomendações propostas pela comissão.

• Alguns excertos chave do prefácio de Strickland:
• All persons who are conversant with the present state of Zoology must be aware of the great detriment which the science sustains from the vagueness and uncertainty of its nomenclature. We do not here refer to those diversities of language which arise from the various methods of classification adopted by different authors, and which are unavoidable in the present state of our knowledge. So long as naturalists differ in the views which they are disposed to take of the natural affinities of animals there will always be diversities of classification, and the only way to arrive at the true system of nature is to allow perfect liberty to systematists in this respect. But the evil complained of is of a different character. It consists in this, that when naturalists are agreed as to the characters and limits of an individual group or species, they still disagree in the appellations by which they distinguish it. A genus is often designated by three or four, and a species by twice that number of precisely equivalent synonyms ; and in the absence of any rule on the subject, the naturalist is wholly at a loss what nomenclature to adopt. The consequence is, that the so-called commonwealth of science is becoming daily divided into independent states, kept asunder by diversities of language as well as by geographical limits. If an English zoologist, for example, visits the museums and converses with the professors of France, he finds that their scientific language is almost as foreign to him as their vernacular. Almost every specimen which he examines is labeled by a title which is unknown to him, and he feels that nothing short of a continued residence in that country can make him conversant with her science.

• If these diversities of scientific language were as deeply rooted as the vernacular tongue of each country, it would of course be hopeless to think of remedying them ; but happily this is not the case. The language of science is in the mouths of comparatively few, and these few, though scattered over distant lands, are in habits of frequent and friendly intercourse with each other. All that is wanted then is, that some plain and simple regulations, founded on justice and sound reason, should be drawn up by a competent body of persons, and then be extensively distributed throughout the zoological world.

• It is needless to inquire far into the causes of the present confusion of zoological nomenclature. It is in great measure the result of the same branch of science having been followed in distant countries by persons who were either unavoidably ignorant of each other's labours, or who neglected to inform themselves sufficiently of the state of the science in other regions. And when we remark the great obstacles which now exist to the circulation of books beyond the conventional limits of the states in which they happen to be published, it must be admitted that this ignorance of the writings of others, however unfortunate, is yet in great measure pardonable. But there is another source for this evil, which is far less excusable,—the practice of gratifying individual vanity by attempting on the most frivolous pretexts to cancel the terms established by original discoverers, and to substitute a new and unauthorized nomenclature in their place.

• The best method of making the attempt seems to be, to entrust to a carefully selected committee the preparation of a series of rules, the adoption of which must be left to the sound sense of naturalists in general.

• The world of science is no longer a monarchy, obedient to the ordinances, however just, of an Aristotle or a Linnseus. She has now assumed the form of a republic, and although this revolution may have increased the vigour and zeal of her followers, yet it has destroyed much of her former order and regularity of government. The latter can only be restored by framing such laws as shall be based in reason and sanctioned by the approval of men of science ; and it is to the preparation of these laws that the Zoological Section of the Association have been invited to give their aid.

• It must of course be always at the option of authors to adhere to or depart from these principles, but. we offer them to the candid consideration of zoologists, in the hope that they may lead to sufficient uniformity of method in future to rescue the science from becoming a mere chaos of words.'

• Strickland (1878) é uma reimpressão do texto original reeditado por P. L. Sclater. Em 1864 uma atualização foi feita por uma outra comissão (também apoiada pela BAAS e também com as considerações de correspondentes), Sclater decidiu manter o texto original de Strickland, retirando seu prefácio apenas, e adcionar como apêndice as resoluções da comissão de 1864, cujo relator era W. Jardine. Nesta edição também temos uma lista dos correspondentes que colaboraram com Strickland na primeira versão.

Nicolson (1991)

• Em Nicolson encontramos uma historiografia da nomenclatura botânica de 1813 a 1987, porém o mais importante desse artigo é a sessão intitulada "Chronologic Bibliography on Botanical Nomenclature, With Some Annotations" onde podemos encontrar uma lista cronológica dos diversos tratados, críticas e revisões de nomenclatura botância de 1737 até 1989.

• Um ponto negativo é que o auto parace não saber da distinção entre De Candolle (1778-1841), pai, e De Candolle (1806-1893), filho.

Knapp et al. (2004)

• Knapp faz um histórico um pouco mais abrangente que Nicolson, porém focado na nomenclatura zoológica. Também faz questionamentos pragmáticos além da parte historiográfica.

Machado (2012)

• Livro dedicado as traduções do Tetrabiblos de Ptolomeu para o português principalmente, a autora trabalha a questão da tradução na transmissão da ciência e para tanto explica diversos fundamentos teóricos desse campo. 

• Também devo mencionar a pesquisa conduzida por Machado e que pode ser encontrada preliminarmente em seu blog de viagem, aqui.