Biology 571 -- History of Biology -- Fall 2008

Dr. Stephen Threlkeld, Professor of Biology; 318 Shoemaker; 662-915-5803; stt@olemiss.edu; Office hours: M 11:30-1:00, W 11:00-12:30, Th 11:00-12:00 am, or by appointment.

Course Description History of major developments in biology from ancient to modern times, with emphasis on scientific methods, the role of technology, scientific communication, and societal impact.

Course readings Lois N. Magner 2002. A history of the life sciences. Third edition, revised and expanded. Marcel Dekker; Matthew Cobb. 2006. Generation. Bloomsbury; Arthur Allen. 2007. Vaccine. Norton; and other readings as assigned.

Course grading Grades will be based on class participation (reading, discussion, and in-class writing assignments 50%), and a take-home final examination (50%); graduate students taking the course will also be required to complete an independent research paper on a major figure in the history of biology (combined in 50% of grade for participation).

Schedule of classes (TuTh, 9:30 - 10:45 pm, 219 Shoemaker) and assigned readings (M-Magner, C-Cobb, A-Allen chapter numbers).

• 26 Aug Introduction; course objectives and requirements
• 28 Aug Early development of biological science among the Greeks (M1-2)
  
  
• 2 Sep Biology among the Greeks and Romans
• 4 Sep Biology among the Greeks and Romans, continued
  
  
• 9 Sep Biological science in the medieval period (M3)
• 11 Sep Early breakthroughs in biological science and the Renaissance (M4)
  
  
• 16 Sep Descartes, Bacon and experimental methods
• 18 Sep Development of scientific journals and professional societies (C1-6)
  
  
• 23 Sep The problem of generation -- early Greeks to the pre-microscope views (M5)
• 25 Sep Hooke, Leeuvenhoek, Swammerdam (M6, C7-8)
  
  
• 30 Sep Spontaneous generation, microbes and disease (A1-3)
• 1 Oct Microbiology (M7)
  
  
• 7 Oct Physiology and biochemistry
• 9 Oct The great explorations and biodiversity
  
  
• 14 Oct Geology, paleontology and the age of the earth (M8)
• 16 Oct The great evolutionary synthesis
  
  
• 21 Oct Darwin and Wallace, continued
• 23 Oct Systematics, biogeography and evolution
  
  
• 28 Oct Genetics and the rediscovery of Mendel's work (M9)
• 30 Oct Biochemical investigations and the discovery of DNA
  
  
• 4 Nov Molecular biology, evolution and modern systematics (M10)
• 6 Nov Ecology and pastoralism
  
  
• 11 Nov Biogeochemistry and ecosystem science
• 13 Nov A global perspective of the natural world (Lovelock's Gaia)
  
  
• 18 Nov Astrobiology
• 20 Nov Modern man in the natural world
  
  
• 24-28 Nov Thanksgiving holidays
  
  
• 2 Dec Genetic and social engineering (A4-6)
• 4 Dec Environmental stewardship
  
  
• 11 Dec Final examination, 8 a.m. Thursday