Comment by latexr
5 hours ago
Sure. None of those organisations have power over you (unless you work for them, I guess). You’re free to use whatever name you like for whatever you want. Whichever organisation names venomous snakes has no power over you either, but if you’re bitten by one and they ask you which one it was so they can administer an antidote, I highly recommend you stay with the name they gave it instead of some other name you made up. You do you, though, don’t let me stop you.
In this hypothetical, am I being treated by someone from this taxonomic organization?
No, you’re being treated by a doctor. Who needs to have a precise common understanding of what you’re saying.
"OK, sir, can you tell me about the snake that bit you?"
"It was maybe three feet long, and brown."
"Thank you, but what I meant was, what is the name of the snake according to the Institute of Ophidian Nomenclature?"
"I ... have no idea?"
"No idea?"
"No doctor. It had these kind of white markings on its head and ..."
"Sir, if you can't give me the formal name of the snake there's nothing we can do."
"What? You're joking, right?"
"If it still hurts in the morning, take two tylenol and call your PCP. And now I'll have to ask you to leave the hospital."