Was Smith's approach to botany too rigid?
Some might perceive my adherence to Linnaean principles as rigid. However, I saw the power of established systems. The rigor provided by Linnaeus's framework was, in my view, precisely what botany needed to move beyond anecdotal observations. My aim was not to stifle new discoveries, but to ensure that such discoveries could be accurately documented and integrated into a coherent, universally understood scientific structure.
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