Download or read book An Introduction to the Study of Natural History written by Louis Agassiz and published by . This book was released on 1847 with total page 76 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Science of Describing written by Brian W. Ogilvie and published by University of Chicago Press. This book was released on 2008-09-15 with total page 402 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Out of the diverse traditions of medical humanism, classical philology, and natural philosophy, Renaissance naturalists created a new science devoted to discovering and describing plants and animals. Drawing on published natural histories, manuscript correspondence, garden plans, travelogues, watercolors, and drawings, The Science of Describing reconstructs the evolution of this discipline of description through four generations of naturalists. In the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, naturalists focused on understanding ancient and medieval descriptions of the natural world, but by the mid-sixteenth century naturalists turned toward distinguishing and cataloguing new plant and animal species. To do so, they developed new techniques of observing and recording, created botanical gardens and herbaria, and exchanged correspondence and specimens within an international community. By the early seventeenth century, naturalists began the daunting task of sorting through the wealth of information they had accumulated, putting a new emphasis on taxonomy and classification. Illustrated with woodcuts, engravings, and photographs, The Science of Describing is the first broad interpretation of Renaissance natural history in more than a generation and will appeal widely to an interdisciplinary audience.
Download or read book The Future of Natural History Museums written by Eric Dorfman and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2017-10-12 with total page 381 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Natural history museums are changing, both because of their own internal development and in response to changes in context. Historically, the aim of collecting from nature was to develop encyclopedic assemblages to satisfy human curiosity and build a basis for taxonomic information. Today, with global biodiversity in rapid decline, there are new reasons to build and maintain collections, while audiences are more diverse, numerous, and technically savvy. Institutions must learn to embrace new technology while retaining the authenticity of their stories and the value placed on their objects. The Future of Natural History Museums begins to develop a cohesive discourse that balances the disparate issues that our institutions will face over the next decades. It disassembles the topic into various key elements and, through commentary and synthesis, explores a cohesive picture of the trajectory of the natural history museum sector. This book contributes to the study of collections, teaching and learning, ethics, and running non-profit businesses and will be of interest to museum and heritage professionals and academics and senior students in Biological Sciences and Museum Studies.
Download or read book Introduction to the Study of History written by Charles Victor Langlois and published by . This book was released on 1904 with total page 392 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book A Natural History of Rape written by Randy Thornhill and published by MIT Press. This book was released on 2001-02-23 with total page 274 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A biologist and an anthropologist use evolutionary biology to explain the causes and inform the prevention of rape. In this controversial book, Randy Thornhill and Craig Palmer use evolutionary biology to explain the causes of rape and to recommend new approaches to its prevention. According to Thornhill and Palmer, evolved adaptation of some sort gives rise to rape; the main evolutionary question is whether rape is an adaptation itself or a by-product of other adaptations. Regardless of the answer, Thornhill and Palmer note, rape circumvents a central feature of women's reproductive strategy: mate choice. This is a primary reason why rape is devastating to its victims, especially young women. Thornhill and Palmer address, and claim to demolish scientifically, many myths about rape bred by social science theory over the past twenty-five years. The popular contention that rapists are not motivated by sexual desire is, they argue, scientifically inaccurate. Although they argue that rape is biological, Thornhill and Palmer do not view it as inevitable. Their recommendations for rape prevention include teaching young males not to rape, punishing rape more severely, and studying the effectiveness of "chemical castration." They also recommend that young women consider the biological causes of rape when making decisions about dress, appearance, and social activities. Rape could cease to exist, they argue, only in a society knowledgeable about its evolutionary causes. The book includes a useful summary of evolutionary theory and a comparison of evolutionary biology's and social science's explanations of human behavior. The authors argue for the greater explanatory power and practical usefulness of evolutionary biology. The book is sure to stir up discussion both on the specific topic of rape and on the larger issues of how we understand and influence human behavior.
Download or read book Introduction to the Study of Natural History written by Louis Agassiz and published by Birkhäuser. This book was released on 2017-10-26 with total page 132 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book features Louis Agassiz’s seminal lecture course in which the Swiss-American scientist, a self-styled “American Humboldt,” summarized the state of zoological knowledge in his time. Though Darwin’s theory of evolution would soon dismantle his idealist science, Agassiz’s lectures are nonetheless modern in their insistence on the social and cultural importance of the scientific enterprise. An extensive, well-illustrated introduction by Agassiz’s biographer, Christoph Irmscher, situates Agassiz’s lectures in the context of his life and nineteenth-century science, while also confronting the deeply problematic aspects of his legacy. Profusely annotated, this edition offers fascinating insights into the history of science and appeals to anyone with an interest in zoology and natural history. “Christoph Irmscher provides a scholarly and insightful analysis of the intentions and beliefs of Louis Agassiz, a larger-than-life scientist of the mid-19th century and fierce opponent of Charles Darwin. One of the foremost naturalists of his time, Agassiz’s encyclopedic knowledge and brash confidence sustained bold and often controversial theories, which contributed to extreme intellectual ferment at the dawn of contemporary evolutionary biology.” James Hanken, Alexander Agassiz Professor of Zoology, Harvard University, USA
Download or read book A Natural History of the Senses written by Diane Ackerman and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2011-12-07 with total page 354 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Diane Ackerman's lusciously written grand tour of the realm of the senses includes conversations with an iceberg in Antarctica and a professional nose in New York, along with dissertations on kisses and tattoos, sadistic cuisine and the music played by the planet Earth. “Delightful . . . gives the reader the richest possible feeling of the worlds the senses take in.” —The New York Times
Download or read book An Introduction to Nature study written by Ernest Stenhouse and published by . This book was released on 1903 with total page 446 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Representing and Intervening written by Ian Hacking and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 1983-10-20 with total page 304 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This 1983 book is a lively and clearly written introduction to the philosophy of natural science, organized around the central theme of scientific realism. It has two parts. 'Representing' deals with the different philosophical accounts of scientific objectivity and the reality of scientific entities. The views of Kuhn, Feyerabend, Lakatos, Putnam, van Fraassen, and others, are all considered. 'Intervening' presents the first sustained treatment of experimental science for many years and uses it to give a new direction to debates about realism. Hacking illustrates how experimentation often has a life independent of theory. He argues that although the philosophical problems of scientific realism can not be resolved when put in terms of theory alone, a sound philosophy of experiment provides compelling grounds for a realistic attitude. A great many scientific examples are described in both parts of the book, which also includes lucid expositions of recent high energy physics and a remarkable chapter on the microscope in cell biology.
Download or read book The Natural History of Pollination written by Michael Proctor and published by Timber Press (OR). This book was released on 1996 with total page 492 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is a brand new, fully updated edition of the natural history classic first published in 1973 as The Pollination of Flowers. The importance of insects in pollinating flowers is today so well known it is easy to forget that it was discovered little more than two centuries ago: before that, it was believed that the concern of bees with flowers was simply a matter of collecting honey. But the methods by which pollen reaches the female flower, enabling fertilisation and seed production to take place, include some of the most varied and fascinating mechanisms in the natural world. The Natural History of Pollination describes all the ways in which pollination is brought about: by wind, water, birds, bats and even mice and rats; but principally by a great diversity of insects in an amazing range of ways, some simple, some bizarre. This book is a unique introduction to a complex yet easily accessible subject of great fascination.
Download or read book Biological Anthropology written by Craig Britton Stanford and published by Prentice Hall. This book was released on 2011 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This textbook presents a survey of physical anthropology, the branch of anthropology that studies the physical development of the human species. It plays an important part in the study of human origins and in the analysis and identification of human remains for legal purposes. It draws upon human body measurements, human genetics, and the study of human bones and includes the study of human brain evolution, and of culture as neurological adaptation to environment. The authors use the progressive term "biological anthropology" to mean "an integrative combination of information from the fossil record and the human skeleton, genetics of individuals and of populations, our primate relatives, human adaptation, and human behavior."
Download or read book The Curious Mister Catesby written by E. Charles Nelson and published by University of Georgia Press. This book was released on 2015-03-01 with total page 448 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In 1712, English naturalist Mark Catesby (1683–1749) crossed the Atlantic to Virginia. After a seven-year stay, he returned to England with paintings of plants and animals he had studied. They sufficiently impressed other naturalists that in 1722 several Fellows of the Royal Society sponsored his return to North America. There Catesby cataloged the flora and fauna of the Carolinas and the Bahamas by gathering seeds and specimens, compiling notes, and making watercolor sketches. Going home to England after five years, he began the twenty-year task of writing, etching, and publishing his monumental The Natural History of Carolina, Florida, and the Bahama Islands. Mark Catesby was a man of exceptional courage and determination combined with insatiable curiosity and multiple talents. Nevertheless no portrait of him is known. The international contributors to this volume review Catesby’s biography alongside the historical and scientific significance of his work. Ultimately, this lavishly illustrated volume advances knowledge of Catesby’s explorations, collections, artwork, and publications in order to reassess his importance within the pantheon of early naturalists.
Download or read book An Introduction to the Philosophy of Science written by Kent W. Staley and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2014-11-06 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book guides readers by gradual steps through the central concepts and debates in the philosophy of science. Using concrete examples from the history of science, Kent W. Staley shows how seemingly abstract philosophical issues are relevant to important aspects of scientific practice. Structured in two parts, the book first tackles the central concepts of the philosophy of science, such as the problem of induction, falsificationism, and underdetermination, and important figures and movements, such as the logical empiricists, Thomas Kuhn, and Paul Feyerabend. The second part turns to contemporary debates in the philosophy of science, such as scientific realism, explanation, the role of values in science, the different views of scientific inference, and probability. This broad yet detailed overview will give readers a strong grounding whilst also providing opportunities for further exploration. It will be of particular interest to students of philosophy, the philosophy of science, and science.
Download or read book Introduction to the California Condor written by Noel F. R. Snyder and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2005-03-14 with total page 288 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This is an amazingly compact, up-to-date history of the politics and biological research of the California Condor. It will be invaluable for biology students who want to review a case study of an endangered species and for environmental planners considering the highly political nature of rare-species conservation."—Allen Fish, Director, Golden Gate Raptor Observatory "As one of the most visible, dramatic, and controversial examples of intensive conservation management in modern times, the California Condor makes a good story. The Snyders' work is exemplary. This is a solid introduction to the subject and an excellent contribution to the press's natural history series."—Walter Koenig, Hastings Natural History Reservation, University of California
Download or read book Introduction to California Chaparral written by Ronald D. Quinn and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2006-09-20 with total page 345 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The characteristic look of California Chaparral—a soft bluish-green blanket of vegetation gently covering the hills—is known to millions who have seen it as the backdrop in movies and television productions. This complex ecological community of plants and animals is not just a feature of the hills around Hollywood, but is a quintessential part of the entire California landscape. It is a highly resilient community adapted to life with recurring fires and droughts. Written for a wide audience, this concise, engaging, and beautifully illustrated book describes an ancient and exquisitely balanced environment home to wondrous organisms: Fire Beetles that mate only on burning branches, lizards that shoot blood from their eyes when threatened, Kangaroo Rats that never drink water, and seeds that germinate only after a fire, even if that means waiting in the soil for a 100 years or more. Useful both as a field guide and an introductory overview of the ecology of chaparral, it also provides a better understanding of how we might live in harmony, safety, and appreciation of this unique ecological community. * Identifies chaparral’s common plants, animals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and insects * Features 79 color illustrations, 56 black-and-white photographs, and 3 maps * Examines the role of humans and fire in chaparral, covering the placement and design of homes, landscaping, and public policy
Download or read book Molecular Markers Natural History and Evolution written by J. C. Avise and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 522 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Molecular approaches have opened new windows on a host of ecological and evolutionary disciplines, ranging from population genetics and behavioral ecology to conservation biology and systematics. Molecular Markers, Natural History and Evolution summarizes the multi-faceted discoveries about organisms in nature that have stemmed from analyses of genetic markers provided by polymorphic proteins and DNAs. The first part of the book introduces rationales for the use of molecular markers, provides a history of molecular phylogenetics, and describes a wide variety of laboratory methods and interpretative tools in the field. The second and major portion of the book provides a cornucopia of biological applications for molecular markers, organized along a scale from micro-evolutionary topics (such as forensics, parentage, kinship, population structure, and intra-specific phylogeny) to macro-evolutionary themes (including species relationships and the deeper phylogenetic structure in the tree of life). Unlike most prior books in molecular evolution, the focus is on organismal natural history and evolution, with the macromolecules being the means rather than the ends of scientific inquiry. Written as an intellectual stimulus for the advanced undergraduate, graduate student, or the practicing biologist desiring a wellspring of research ideas at the interface of molecular and organismal biology, this book presents material in a manner that is both technically straightforward, yet rich with concepts and with empirical examples from the world of nature.
Download or read book Finding Order In Nature written by Paul Lawrence Farber and published by Johns Hopkins University Press+ORM. This book was released on 2003-04-30 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “Engaging . . . a concise work that gives the general reader a solid understanding . . . an excellent introduction to the history of natural history.” —Library Journal Since emerging as a discipline in the middle of the eighteenth century, natural history has been at the heart of the life sciences. It gave rise to the major organizing theory of life—evolution—and continues to be a vital science with impressive practical value. Central to advanced work in ecology, agriculture, medicine, and environmental science, natural history also attracts enormous popular interest. In Finding Order in Nature Paul Farber traces the development of the naturalist tradition since the Enlightenment and considers its relationship to other research areas in the life sciences. Written for the general reader and student alike, the volume explores the adventures of early naturalists, the ideas that lay behind classification systems, the development of museums and zoos, and the range of motives that led collectors to collect. Farber also explores the importance of sociocultural contexts, institutional settings, and government funding in the story of this durable discipline. “The history of natural history can rarely have been as succinctly told as in Paul Lawrence Farber’s 129-page Finding Order in Nature. From the intellectual revolutions of Linnaeus and Darwin through the Victorian obsessions with classifying and collecting, to the conservationists led by E. O. Wilson, it is an odyssey beautifully told.” —New Scientist “Farber does an impressive job of demonstrating how practitioners like Linnaeus, Buffon, Saint-Hilaire and Cuvier advanced the field and set the stage for the development of science as we know it today.” —Publishers Weekly
