Systematics as an Educational and Political Force

Abstract

That the environmental crisis is now forcing a critical reassessment of priorities among many scientists as well as science policy-makers is a well-established fact. A question basic to our future as systematists is: Will systematics be one of those sciences that will play an expanded role in the search for solutions to the crisis? I have considered this question with many of my colleagues and found a wide divergence of opinion. My personal view is that systematics can indeed now be immensely relevant to the solution of environmental problems. There are three things that our knowledge and training permit us to do, each of which would make us more useful today. These are: 1) Create modern tools for the environmental education of students from grade one to university level; 2) Participate in the politics of environmental education of the public at large; and 3) Increase our emphasis on socially relevant research. The environmental crisis seems clearly to be far more serious both in degree and in kind from all previous crises faced by man. If this is indeed the case, as I believe it is, then it is surely vital that every scientist examine his science to see what can be done to find solutions.