Taxonomic methodology: approaches by Plato, Linne, and Procrustes

There are two alternative approaches as to how to classify the biological diversity which are derivable either from Plato and Linne, or from Procrustes. The former approach means “to cut nature at the joints” (along natural borderlines), therefore “the character does not constitute the genus, but the genus the character”. The latter approach denotes an apriori measure (a set of characters defined beforehand) which is applied to the diversity (ignoring a possible immanent structure of the diversity). Each approach has its own merits, but the General System, the only one authorized to assign scientific names to taxa, agrees with Plato and Linne rather than with Procrustes. Monophyletic continuum is considered to be the best to fit the aims of the System.