Roots of Biology Flashcards
Why did hunter-gatherers needed a working knowledge of animal biology?
because their livelihood depended on it - animal habits (ex. migrations, behaviour when attacked, defenses), internal anatomy and what was edible, how best to hunt and kill them
for survival
Why did hunter-gatherers needed a working knowledge of plant biology?
food, medicine, weapon, tools and construction
needed to know about diversity and uses
Why was the domestication of animals and plants (roots of agriculture) significant?
domesticating animals and plants allowed humans to control the reproduction of these organisms = artificial selection
people started selecting wild types and breeding for specific qualities
What are some examples of plant traits that were selected for (intentionally or incidentally) during domestication?
larger seed sizes = more nutritional
loss of seed dispersal = prevents crop plants growing in other areas
allocation of energy in productive tissues = high yield (less vegetative tissue)
self-pollination = crops like corn, wheat
edibility = ex. wild almonds had high [cyanide], glutens in bread
Explain how the domestication of wild plants/agriculture and the production of new plant species required a lot of biological knowledge?
people needed to know about
soil qualities and conditions required for growth
plant sexuality and reproduction
inheritance and variability in traits
How did the domestication of animals change the skillset and knowledge required from hunter-gatherers?
domesticating animals meant people needed to know how to tend them and keep them alive
husbandry and survival - nutrition, breeding, behaviour, diseases as opposed to habits and how best to kill them
How was early medicine practiced (did one doctor do everything or was it broken up)?
early civilizations had different practitioners for pharmacology and surgery, and for magic and religion
a division between pharma/surgery and magic/religion
Who was the most notable ancient Egyptian physician?
Imhotep (2700-2600 BC)
Who was Imhotep (2700-2600 BC)?
an ancient Egyptian architect, physician, polymath who might have written important surgical texts
became an Egyptian deity after his death
What significant texts came from ancient Egyptian’s medicine?
Edwin Smith papyrus (1600 BC but contents may originate as far back as Imhotep) - diagnoses and treatments of military injuries - mostly anatomical and physiological (little magic)
Ebers papyrus - practical advice + magic
What were the most important medical texts and medical knowledge from ancient China?
the Yellow Emperor’s Inner Canon (2nd century BC)
illness is not of supernatural cause
disruption of the flow of chi (qi) - the vital -
energy that moves through body along meridians (pathways)
imbalances in yin and yang leads to illness
- yin = cold, dark, empty, negative, earthly, feminine
- yang = warm, bright, full, positive, heavenly, masculine
human body is a microcosm that reflects the macrocosm of the world/environment
Describe the Chinese tradition of the micro/macrocosm and its relationship?
nature has 5 phases/elements - wood, fire, earth, metal, and water and each correspond to a part of the body and mind
relationship between the microcosm (the body/mind) and the macrocosm (the world/environment)
these relationships can be manipulated by a physician as a treatment
How does biology have roots in aesthetics?
ancient cities in Egypt and Mesopotamia had menageries (entertainment), zoos (education + entertainment), and botanical gardens
these included foreign animals and plants such as giraffes, cheetahs, and elephants and exotic trees
also the Persian garden plan - gardens and paradise
Describe the Persian formal garden plan and how it relates to biology’s roots in aesthetics
6th-4th centuries BC
gardens had 4 equal sections surrounded by canals and the entire garden surrounded by high walls
‘paradisa’ in ancient Persian = ‘wall surrounded’ + hanging Gardens of Babylon = the idea that nature can be tamed to the ideal environment and you can be one with it
