Abstract <p>Under review are three basic issues of high relevance to taxonomic nomenclature, which closely relate to both exploratory and ethical aspects of contemporary biological systematics and therefore receive the most attention in current discussions. The first to be considered is a controversy between suggestions to apply either ranked or rankless hierarchies to describe taxonomic diversity of living organisms. A cursory historical analysis of this dilemma indicates that the contemporary phylogenetic systematics reiterates some basic ideas of an old scholastic taxonomic school, and that phylogenetic nomenclature is but one of the episodes in the long-lasting history of systematics. The ranked hierarchical system is preferable, as it provides a kind of rigid and unified frame for describing taxonomic diversity; however, it should be treated not firmly, but fuzzily. Another topic concerns the so-called “typeless species,” a concept currently defended by naturalists, who believe that the existing practice of collecting specimens in the wild threatens the survival of endangered species. It is concluded that this proposal makes the results of taxonomic research hardly reproducible and thus deprives systematics of the status of a full-fledged natural science. The last issue involves a suggestion to stop traditional using of eponyms/ethnonyms for designating taxa, especially if they bear an offensive connotation. It is noted that this suggestion is not only ethically, but also politically motivated, and it might be reasonable to begin this campaign with the vernacular names and then, if the results would be proved positive, approach the scientific ones.</p>