principles of physiology - week 1 Flashcards
In what aspects was science in all cultures present since the beginning?
Medicine
Where did Natural philosophy develop first?
In Ancient Greece
What was the aim of natural philosophy?
to explain everything in Nature with no deference to the supernatural
Why was Greece the origin of natural philosophy?
Jared Diamond argues that major historic societal developments are du to the local animals and plants
What did Diamond say was NOT a reason for major historic societal developments?
the differences in intelligence between cultural groups
The influence of Western science
Roman Empire in early 2nd C AD - influence of Catholic Church
What happened when the Church dominated in terms of science?
Science was blended in with religious believes, which could not be challenged
Where did the protestant movement firstly cam to life?
in northern Europe (ca. 16th C.)
What changes with the beginn of the protestant movement?
the development of “modern” science - breaks free of the Catholic Church, Enlightenment flourishes
Define “modern science”
idea that you can test Nature to get the answers but that you need to carefully guard against bias
Who was the father of “modern” science
Francis Bacon
Name two different schools of though trying to understand life
holism vs. reductionism
What is holism?
thinking about the entirety of an organism
What other term can holism be referred to?
systems biology
Define reductionism
became more popular with the improvement of technology: delving into creatures to explore each of the parts in finer and finer details
define vitalism
life requires a soul of some sort
define mechanism
life emerges from complexity
example for mechanism vs, vitalism
muscle contraction
- Galvani found that electricity could make frog legs move
What did Galvanis findings lead to?
the popularisation of the idea that, perhaps, the animation of creatures - life itself- could be explained by physics and chemistry alone
What do we now know about Galvani’s results?
that sliding filament model of muscle contraction requires no “soul”
Name three challenges to vitalists:
- if there eis a soul, what biological material is required for its interaction?
- if the answer is a complex CNS, what about those organisms without it?
- if the soul interacts with biological material, then why can’t we detect it?
Challenge to mechanists:
- if there is no “soul”, then how do we explain through and emotions?
- How can we decide anything - free will?
