Abstract Computer methods are increasingly important in textual criticism. We describe and compare two methods of stemma reconstruction: Mink’s Genealogical Method (developed for use with the Greek New Testament) and the cladistic maximum parsimony method (developed in evolutionary biology). We use both methods to study a group of Greek texts of the Letter of James that are closely related to the Syriac Harclensis. We show that the methods are fundamentally different in aims and approaches, although there are some points of agreement in the results they produce. The Genealogical Method is most suitable when the priority of each individual reading can be assessed. Maximum parsimony can be used when such assessments are not possible or not desired.
Spencer et al. (Tue,) studied this question.
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