Final answer:
Linnaeus' taxonomy classifies organisms based on their observable physical traits within a hierarchical system that ranges from kingdom to species, with species representing the most specific classification indicative of the potential for interbreeding.
Step-by-step explanation:
Unlike the medieval concept of the "Great Chain of Being", Linnaeus' taxonomy classified plants and animals based on their observable physical traits. Carl Linnaeus established a system of classification that sorts organisms based on similarities in their physical appearances. His hierarchical system started with broader categories and became more specific, moving from kingdom, to phylum, to class, to order, to family, to genus, down to the most specific category, species. Within this system, each level is meant to represent organisms that share common characteristics, with species being the most narrow and specific taxonomic classification, implying potential for interbreeding.
Originally, Linnaeus divided life into three kingdoms: animal, plant, and mineral, although the mineral kingdom is no longer considered part of biological taxonomy. Over time, phylogenetic classification has also played a role in taxonomy, introducing the evolutionary history and relationships between organisms into the classification process. However, Linnaeus' original system was based purely on shared physical characteristics between organisms.