Taxonomy is the science of detection description, naming and classification of organisms. As in all scientific disciplines, taxonomy starts with observations that lead to decisions. For instance:
- the observation that the five specimens in the type series of species A contains 1 specimen that is distinctively different leads to the decision that next to species A, species B should be recognised;
- the observation that five specimens share the same ossicle assemblage leads to the decision that they belong to the same species;
- the observation that species presenting character A and character B leads to the decision to group all species with characters A & B into a genus
- the observation of sister relationships in a cladogram leads to the decision that five clades can be recognized
- etc.
These taxonomic decisions become the scientific hypothesis that taxonomist use to classify their group.
As new observations (for instance: new specimens from other regions; new characters detected with new technology) become available, taxonomists falsify the standing hypothesis.