Biology as a Science

Biology (Geek words, bios, life; logus, to study)

 The science of life.

 The study of living things.
 Deals with the investigation of the origin, history, structure, function, identification,
classification, distribution, development, inheritance, and significance of living things as well as
their relationships and interactions with the environment.

Development as a Science
 From Copernicus, to Newton the focused was physical sciences.
 Little attentions were given to some important biological discoveries and inventions, such as
Vesalius (1543) on human anatomy, Harvey (1628) on circulation of blood, Malphigi (1661) on
blood capillaries, Hooke (1665) on cell, Van Leeuwenhoek (1674) on microscopy, Schwann
(1838), Schleiden (1839) and Virchow (1858) on cell theory.

Method of Biology
 As a science, biology also uses the scientific method in solving or investigating a biological
problem.
 Scientific Method is the logical process of learning facts through observation and
experimentation from which, certain conclusions or theories are drawn.

Steps of Scientific Method

1. Identification of the problem
 Any scientific process starts with observation using all the senses.
 From observation a problem may be identified.
2. Formulation of hypotheses
 A set of assumptions or possible explanations to the problem will be formulated.
 Hypothesis is a preliminary conclusion or a scientific guess about the problem.
3. Experimentation or testing of hypotheses
 Experiment is a special procedure used to test the hypotheses.
 There must be two sets of experiments: the control set-up and the experimental set-up.
 Experimental set-up is similar to the control in every aspect except the presence of the
variable.
 The variable is the factor or parameter to be tested.
4. Analysis and interpretation of data and results
 Data/results must be gathered during and after experimentation.
 Data include records collected while making observations during an experiment.
 One way to analyze or interpret records of observation is by using tables and graphs.
5. Generalization or formulation of conclusion
  Based from the analyzed data, a theory may be formulated supported by experimental
evidence.
 This theory may be developed into a scientific law or into a principle.

Limitations of the Scientific Method

1. Existence of God
2. Beauty appreciation
3. Moral issues
4. Value judgment

Branches of Biology
According to method or aspect of study:
1. Anatomy – dissection of body parts
2. Biogeography – distribution of living things
3. Cytology – cells
4. Ecology – interactions and relationships within an ecosystem
5. Embryology – development of the embryo
6. Evolution – origin of species
7. Genetics – heredity
8. Histology – tissues
9. Limnology – fresh water habits
10. Morphology – gross structure
11. Nomenclature – naming/assigning of scientific name
12. Oceanography – marine water habitats
13. Ontogeny – developmental history of an individual
14. Organology – organs
15. Paleontology – fossils/evidences of the past
16. Pathology – diseases
17. Phylogeny – ancestral history of organism
18. Physiology – functions
19. Systematics – identification and classification
20. Taxonomy – classification

According to type of organisms:

1. Bacteriology – bacteria
2. Botany – plants
3. Carcinology – crustaceans
4. Entomology – insects
5. Helminthology – worms
6. Herpetology – reptiles and amphibians
7. Ichthyology – fishes
8. Malacology – mollusks
9. Mammalogy – mammals
10. Microbiology – microorganisms
11. Mycology – fungi
 12. Ornithology – birds
13. Parasitology – parasites
14. Phycology – algae
15. Protozoology – protozoans
16. Virology – viruses
17. Zoology - animals

Unifying Theories of Biology

1. Cell Theory (Schleiden, 1838, Schwann, 1839, and Virchow, 1858)

 All organisms are made up of cells, and these cells come from pre-existing cells.

2. Biogenesis (Pasteur, 1865)

 Life comes only from life.

3. Homeostasis (Bernard, 1858)

 The internal environment remains within a normal range.

4. Evolution (Darwin, 1858)

 All living things have a common ancestor and are adapted to a particular way of life.

5. Gene (Mendel, 1866; Wilkins, Franklin, Watson, and Crick, 1953)

 Organisms contain coded information that dictates their structure, function, and behavior.

Nature of Life
Theories on the Origin of Life

1. Divine Creation Theory

 Based on the book of Genesis in the Bible.
 Life is believed to have been created by the Almighty God.

2. Cosmozoic or Interplanetary Theory

 A protoplasm in the form of a resistant pore originated from outer planets propelled by radiation
pressure.
 The spore reached the earth and started the first form of life.

3. Philosophical Theory of Eternity

 Life ha no beginning and no end; life has been here right from the very beginning of time.

4. Abiogenesis or Spontaneous Generation Theory

 Life originated spontaneously from non-living things.
 Disproved b Francesco Redi, an Italian scientist in 1668, ad by Louis Pasteur, a French chemist in
1865.

5. Big Bang Theory

  Also called Physico-chemical or cosmological theory.
 Most scientific and most accept theory.
 Developed in the 1940s by George Gamow and R.A. Alpher
 Heavenly bodies, including the earth, originated from the explosion of a hot rotating ball of gas
and eventually life was formed from the chemical evolution of different compounds present in
the primitive earth.

Characteristics of Living Things

1. Metabolism
 Refers to all the chemical and energy transformations that occur in cells as they carry out life’s
processes.
 Could be anabolism (building up process) or catabolism (breaking down process)
 A must in order to maintain their organization, and to grow and reproduce.

2. Growth
 Refers to an increase in size.
 Accomplished through a complex series of chemical processes (intussusception)
 Occurs when constructive activities occur at a faster rate than destructive activities.

3. Irritability
 Refers to the ability to react to any environmental change or stimulus that often results in
movement.
 The ability to respond; helps ensure the survival of the organisms.

4. Reproduction and Development

 Life comes only from life.
 In order for life to continue, living things must be able to produce other living things of their
kind.
 Reproduction could be asexual or sexual.

5. Adaptation
 Refers to modifications that promote the likelihood of survival.
 Living things not suited to a new condition either moves to a better environment or change
(evolution).
 A change cannot occur in one generation but over many generations.
 Results into unity and diversity of life.

6. Organization
 Parts of living things are arranged in a particular way.
 There are levels of biological organization – biochemical, structural, physiological and ecological
organization.

Atom  molecules  cells  tissues  organs  organ system  organisms  populations 

communities  ecosystems  biosphere
7. Assimilation
 Process of converting non-living inorganic and organic molecules into living cell that can be done
inside a living cell.

8. Definite form and size

 Living things produce offspring similar to themselves.
 All organisms belonging to the same species are alike with certain degree of variations or
differences.

9. Definite chemical composition

 All organisms are basically made up of similar inorganic (water, salts, minerals, gases) and
organic molecules (carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, nucleic acids).