It is inherent in any definition of science that statements that cannot be checked by observation are not really saying anything or at least they are not science.

I have a debt, a loyalty to the museum; the best place for me to do what I wanted to do.

The science of systematics has long been affected by profound philosophical preconceptions, which have been all the more influential for being usually covert, even subconscious.

Species evolve exactly as if they were adapting as best they could to a changing world, and not at all as if they were moving toward a set goal.

Almost all paleontologists recognize that the discovery of a complete transition is in any case unlikely.

It remains true, as every paleontologist knows, that most new species, genera, and families, and that nearly all categories above the level of families, appear in the record suddenly and are not led up to by known, gradual completely continuous transitional sequences.

I don't know where to put whales. I'm sticking them here, but I don't have any reason for it.