Oppositions in panbiogeography: Can the conflicts between selection, constraint, ecology, and history be resolved?

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Abstract
Croizat’s radical attack on traditional modes of biological inquiry has produced strongly polarised responses. Instead of arguing for or against the panbiogeographic approach I attempt to analyse some basic assumptions shared by both its defenders and critics. Although their emphasis is quite different both sides rely on two central oppositions. In evolutionary arguments selective explanations are opposed to those emphasising phylogenetic constraint (orthogenesis). In biogeographic arguments ecological explanations are opposed to historical explanations. I discuss how the legendary opposition between nature and nurture was resolved by reformulating the way in which causation was viewed. I suggest that the selection/constraint opposition shares many features in common with the nature/nurture opposition and argue that it can be resolved in a similar manner. Conflicts between ecological and historical explanations in biogeography are explored by contrasting Diamond’s analysis of New Guinea bird distributions with that of Croizat’s. By again drawing on the resolution of the nature/nurture dispute a way of synthesising ecological and historical explanations is outlined.