Lecture Notes for Biology 101:
An Introduction to Science and Biology for Non-Majors
Instructor David L. Alles
Course Outline
The organization of this course has been driven by the goal of providing non-majors with
a coherent picture of modern biological knowledge. To accomplish this goal it’s necessary that
each student gains an appreciation of the nature of science and is introduced to the integrated
view of our world that modern science has produced. To facilitate this the course is divided into
four parts.
Part One: The Nature of Science
There are three elements in defining science: 1) the values of science, 2) science as a
profession, and 3) the product of science—scientific knowledge. Using this definition, the goal
of Part One is to introduce the fundamental nature of the scientific enterprise.
Major Units: Defining Science
The Epistemic Values of Science
The Origin of Modern Science
Science as a Profession
Part Two: The Conceptual Framework of Biology
The goal of Part Two is to introduce the conceptual framework of modern biology.
Evolution and historical systems provide the conceptual framework or paradigm for
understanding modern biology. But a basic understanding and appreciation of molecular biology
is also necessary before we can begin to integrate all of biological knowledge.
Major Units: Cosmological Evolution
Natural Levels of Organization in the Physical World
Biological Evolution
Life as a Chemical Function—Biochemistry & Genetics
The Modern Synthesis—Darwin and Mendel
Part Three: The Integration of Biological Knowledge
The purpose of Part Three is to show how biological knowledge can be integrated into a
coherent picture of life on Earth. Because life on Earth is an effectively closed historical system,
we must understand that biology is an historical science. One result of this is that a chronological
narrative of the history of life provides for the integration of all biological knowledge.
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,Major Units in Part Three: The Integration of Biological Knowledge
Geologic Time
The Origin of our Solar System
The Origin of Life
Photosynthesis
Aerobic Respiration
Endosymbiosis & Eukaryotic Cells
The Classification of Life
Sexual Reproduction
Multicellularity
Adaptive Radiations & Mass Extinctions
Vertebrate Evolution
Human Evolution
Part Four: Biology and Society
Part Four attempts to show how modern biological knowledge directly affects the
important social, ethical issues of our times.
Major Units: Science & Ethics
Human Population Growth
The Sixth Extinction
Why do science?
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The material that follows is taken from the lecture notes used in this course. It is hoped
that by having them you will be able to concentrate on the verbal presentation of this material.
However, these notes do not contain the copyrighted material that will be presented in
lecture. For quizzes and tests you are responsible for all the material that is presented. Therefore,
if you wish to do well in this course, you must attend the lectures.
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,Part One: The Nature of Science
Unit One: Defining Science
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What is science?
What is it that makes science different?
And different from what?
Is there a scientific method?
And if so, a method for doing what?
What does the general public think about science? Is it good or bad?
Why does our society support science?
Could we do without science?
If not, what do we get by doing science?
Why do science?
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• Note: All indicators point to widespread support for government funding of basic research. The
2002, NSF survey of American adults found that 72% believe that the benefits of scientific
research outweigh the harmful effects. In contrast, only 33% of Americans surveyed understand
the nature of scientific inquiry well enough to make informed judgments about the scientific
basis of results reported in the media (NSF, 2002).
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Defining Science
1) As a set of rules for how to look at the world—
Epistemic Values
2) As a very human activity with all of the attendant failings—
Science as a Profession
3) As the product of the activity of science—
Scientific Knowledge
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A Legal Definition of Science
Judge William R. Overton 1982:
McLean versus the Arkansas Board of Education
“A descriptive definition was said to be that science is what is ‘accepted by the scientific
community’ and is ‘what scientists do.’ The obvious implication of this description is that, in a
free society, knowledge does not require the imprimatur [approval] of legislation in order to
become science."
This ruling was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1987.
Note: A corollary to this ruling is that what qualifies as scientific knowledge is not decided by
political majority vote, either at the level of local or state school boards, or by state or federal
legislation.
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Unit Two: Epistemic Values
Introduction: In trying to answer the question, “What is it that makes science different?”, we
must examine the values of science as a human endeavor. The first step in doing so is to
understand the relationship between worldviews and values.
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Worldviews, Values, and Decision-making
A worldview is our mental model of external reality. It consists of theories about the
processes that operate in the external world or how the world works; theories as to the state of
external reality or how the world is; theories of self-identity that are derived from our mental
model of the world; and a set of values derived from our self-identity that assigns priorities in
decision-making.
From these elements we build an image of how the world came to be and our place in that
world. This image of our personal identity determines what we consider of importance in
determining our behavior—our values.
Griffiths gives this picture of what a worldview is and does. “Our view of the universe is
built up slowly from input acquired since the beginning of consciousness. This viewpoint
represents our identity as individuals. It drives our attitudes and our actions and, as such,
determines the kind of people we are and ultimately the kind of society we have.”—Griffiths,
1991
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