PřF:Bi8410 History of biological sciences - Course Information

Bi8410 History of biological sciences

Extent and Intensity

2/0/0. 2 credit(s). Type of Completion: k (colloquium).

Teacher(s)

prof. RNDr. Petr Bureš, Ph.D. (lecturer)

Guaranteed by

prof. RNDr. Petr Bureš, Ph.D.
Department of Botany and Zoology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science
Contact Person: prof. RNDr. Petr Bureš, Ph.D.
Supplier department: Department of Botany and Zoology – Biology Section – Faculty of Science

Course Enrolment Limitations

The course is offered to students of any study field.

Course objectives

History of Sciences is part of a complex study of the sciences. A better understanding of the historical development of science, its function, possibilities and consequences is the main aim of this study. The organization of history of biology lectures corresponds with that commonly used in history of art and culture lectures. Attention is focused mainly on the development of biology in Europe. The historical background of technical, cultural or political developments is accented in individual stages. Emphasis is placed on the development of experimental and measurement technology and the institutionalization of education.

Learning outcomes

Student will be able to:
- identify and summarize important features of major periods of history of basic biological sciences;
- identify and describe the historical context of major biological discoveries;
- summarize and characterize the development of the organization of scientific research and institutions;
- write an essay summarizing the history of the research in the subject of her/his master's thesis;

Syllabus

• Basic terms, paradigm theory 2. Biological knowledge of paleolithic peoples. Medicine and biology in Sumer, Assyri and Egypt. First Greek "biologists": Aristotle and Theophrastus. Medicine and biology in Alexandrian Musaion. Roman encyclopedists: Plinius, Galenos and Dioscorides. Biological knowledge in Arabia: Ibn-Síná, Ebn-Baithar, Al-Gáhiz, Ad-Dámírí. Biological knowledge of medieval monks: W. Strabo, C. Africanus, O. v. Meung, Hildegarde v. Bingen, Albertus Magnus. Origin of first biological disciplines in the Renaissance: botany - Brunfels, Bock, Fuchs, etc.; anatomy: A. Vesalius, B. Eustachi, W. Harvey, etc.; zoology C. Gessner, U. Aldrovandi, G. Rondelet, P. Belon. Diversification of biology during the Enlightenment: plant morphology: J. Jung, C. F. Wolff, sexuality of plants: R. J. Camerarius, A. Zálužanský, origin of plant classification: from Morison to Linnaeus, plant physiology: S. Hales, J. Ingenhousz, systematic zoology: J. Ray animal anatomy and physiology: S. Santorio, R. Descartes, T. Willis, L. Spallanzani, A. v. Haller, study of microscopical structures: R. Hooke, A. v. Leeuwenhoek, M. Malpighi, N. Grew, expeditions to exotic countries 18th century: new institutions - Scientific societies, scientific journals, museums, scientific congresses. 19th and 20th century: development of microscopic techniques and methods (microbiology, cytology); interdisciplinary science (biogeography, biochemistry); historical view in biology (paleontology, evolutionary biology), synthetic aspects (biology, ecology, genetics), measurements and quantitative aspects of biology (biostatistics).

Literature

• Jahn Ilse, Löther Rolf et Senglaub Konrad: Geschichte der Biologie. - Fischer Verlag, Jena 1982.
• KOMÁREK, Stanislav. Dějiny biologického myšlení :apendix : vznik, vývoj a eko-etologické významy křídelních kreseb u motýlů. 1. vyd. Praha: Vesmír, 1997, 142 s. ISBN 80-85977-10-9. info
• JANKO, Jan. Life sciences in the Czech lands (Bohemia and Moravia) 1750-1950. Praha: Archiv Akademie věd České republiky, 1997, 610 s. ISBN 80-902464-0-0. info

Teaching methods

lecture

Assessment methods

oral exam

Language of instruction

Czech

Further Comments

The course is taught annually.
The course is taught: every week.

• Enrolment Statistics (Spring 2025, recent)
  
• Permalink: https://is.muni.cz/course/sci/spring2025/Bi8410