Lecture 2. History of Systematics (video) Flashcards
treated nature based on appearance
ancient Greeks
- able to distinguish invertebrates (Entoma were separated from Malacostraca and from Mollusca)
- able to distinguish vertebrate classes (Reptiles, birds, and mammals)
Aristotle
What did Aristotle able to distinguish in invertebrates
Entoma was separated from Malacostraca and from Mollusca
What classes did Aristotle able to distinguish in vertebrates
- Reptiles
- Birds
- Mammals
insects
Entoma
crustacea
Malacostraca
cephalopoda
Mollusca
- divided the plant world into trees, shrubs, and herbs (under shrubs)
- described groups of genera which we call monocots and dicots, and even smaller groups like grasses
Theophrastus
What was the weakness of Aristotle and Theophrastus
were not able to come up with a clear classification scheme
an expressed unity of a certain group
Genus
Greek for Genus
Genos
In Aristotle and Theophrastus’ logic, what were genus and species
classes
- means that there is no third option
- only true or false
Tertium non datur
If Aristotle focused on zoology, his student Theophrastus focused on ___.
Plant
What was used by ancient Greeks to classify organisms
deductive reasoning
They also deduced that it is only logical to make divisions based on ________
important features of life
Important features of life:
Zoology
Circulatory system (those with red blood and those without)
Important features of life:
Plants
- Growth
- Reproduction
One thing to remember about Aristotle
Ladder of Nature (principle)
Ladder of Nature
Scala Naturae
living things could be assigned a hierarchical position on this metaphorical ladder that would represent their degree of perfection
Ladder of Nature (Scala Naturae)
Scala Naturae hierarchy
minerals –> plants –> animals –> humans –> demons –> angels –> God
Scala Naturae:
non-being
minerals
Scala Naturae:
realm of becoming
plants, animals, humans
Scala Naturae:
realm of being
demons, angels
Scala Naturae:
being
God
The key feature considered in making division in animals was the circulatory system, while in plants these were _____ and _____
Growth and Reproduction
This period opened an unbiased way of looking at nature. This independence was reflected in illustration that were based on nature
Renaissance
Herbalists in the Renaissance period
- Otto Brunfels (1536)
- Leonhard Fuchs (1542)
- Conrad Gesner (1551)
- Hieronymus Bock (1498-1554)
- Valerius Cordus (1544)
arranged genera alphabetically
- Otto Brunfels (1536)
- Leonhard Fuchs (1542)
- Conrad Gesner (1551)
- Mastered floral morphology
- But this did not translate into his classifications
Hieronymus Bock
What did Otto Brunfels, Leonhard Fuchs, Conrad Gesner do
arrange genera alphabetically
What did Hieronymus Bock do
master floral morphology (but this did not translate into his classifications)
- First that abandoned the blind trust in ancient botany
- Resulted in botany reaching full maturity
Valerius Cordus
What did Valerius Cordus do
first abandoned the blind trust in ancient botany (resulted in botany reaching full maturity)
Resulted to more knowledge gathered, and people becoming more curious on what is on other lands
increase in trade and travel from Portuguese and Spanish rules
Because of the increase in trade and travel, more knowledge were gathered. What became a necessity
systematics
Problems in organizing systematics at the time
- “Ladder of Nature” and “Tertium non datur’ were contrasting
- Term “species” was abstract
- Nature was overwhelming in quantity
