Scientific BIOGRAPHY and the CASE of GEORGES CUVIER
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Load more
Recommended publications
-
Birdobserver17.4 Page183-188 an Honor Without Profit Richard K
AN HONOR WITHOUT PROFIT by Richard K. Walton eponymy n The derivation of a name of a city, country, era, institution, or other place or thing from the name of a person. Gruson in his Words for Birds gives seven categories for the origins of common bird names: appearance (Black-capped Chickadee), eponymy (Henslow’s Sparrow), echoics (Whooping Crane), habitat (Marsh Wren), behavior (woodpecker), food (oystercatcher), and region (California Condor). The second category comprises people and places memorialized in bird names. Many of our most famous ornithologists as well as a fair number of obscure friends and relations have been so honored. A majority of these names were given during the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, the pioneering era of North American ornithology. While some of these tributes are kept alive in our everyday birding language, others have slipped into oblivion. Recognition or obscurity may ultimately hinge on the names we use for birds. There is no more famous name in the birding culture than that of John James Audubon. His epic The Birds of America was responsible for putting American science, art, and even literature on the international map. This work was created, produced, promoted, and sold largely by Audubon himself. In the years since his death in 1851, the Audubon legend has been the inspiration for a multitude of ornithological pursuits and causes, both professional and amateur. Audubon painted some five hundred birds in Birds of America and described these in his five-volume Ornithological Biographies. Many of the names given by Audubon honored men and women of his era. -
Some Philosophical Questions About Paleontology and Their Practica1 Consequences
ACTA GEOLOGICA HISPANICA. Concept and method in Paleontology. 16 (1981) nos 1-2, pags. 7-23 Some philosophical questions about paleontology and their practica1 consequences by Miquel DE RENZI Depto. de Geología, Facultad de Ciencias Biológicas, Universidad de Valencia. Burjassot (Valencia). This papcr attempts to objectively discuss the actual state ofpaleontology. The En aquest treball s'ha intentat fer un balanc d'alguns aspectes de I'estat de la progress of this science stood still somewhat during the latter part of the last paleontologia. La historia de la paleontologia mostra un estancarnent a les century which caused it to develop apart from the biological sciences. an area to darreries del segle passac aquest estancament va Fer que la nostra ciencia s'anes which it is naturally tied. As aconsequence, this bruought a long-term stagnation, allunyant cada cop mes de I'area de les ciencies bii~logiques,amb les qualsestava because biology, dunng this century, has made great progress and paleontology lligada naturalment AixO va portar, com a conseqüencia, un important has not During the last 20 years paleontology as a science hasrecuperatedsome endarreriment, car la biologia, durant aquest segle, ha donat un gran pas of this loss, but we as scientists need to be careful in various aspects of its endavant, mentre que aquest no ha estat el cas de lapaleontologia Al nostre pais development -i possiblement a molts d'altres- la paleontologia es, fonamentalment, un estn per datar estrats. Tanmateix, un mal estri, car la datació es basadaen les especies fossils i la seva determinació es fonamenta en el ccncepte d'especie biolbgica; els fossils pero en moltes ocasions, són utilitzats mes aviat com si fossin segells o monedes. -
The Paleontology Synthesis Project and Establishing a Framework for Managing National Park Service Paleontological Resource Archives and Data
Lucas, S.G. and Sullivan, R.M., eds., 2018, Fossil Record 6. New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science Bulletin 79. 589 THE PALEONTOLOGY SYNTHESIS PROJECT AND ESTABLISHING A FRAMEWORK FOR MANAGING NATIONAL PARK SERVICE PALEONTOLOGICAL RESOURCE ARCHIVES AND DATA VINCENT L. SANTUCCI1, JUSTIN S. TWEET2 and TIMOTHY B. CONNORS3 1National Park Service, Geologic Resources Division, 1849 “C” Street, NW, Washington, D.C. 20240, [email protected]; 2National Park Service, 9149 79th Street S., Cottage Grove, MN 55016, [email protected]; 3National Park Service, Geologic Resources Division, 12795 W. Alameda Parkway, Lakewood, CO 80225, [email protected] Abstract—The National Park Service Paleontology Program maintains an extensive collection of digital and hard copy documents, publications, photographs and other archives associated with the paleontological resources documented in 268 parks. The organization and preservation of the NPS paleontology archives has been the focus of intensive data management activities by a small and dedicated team of NPS staff. The data preservation strategy complemented the NPS servicewide inventories for paleontological resources. The first phase of the data management, referred to as the NPS Paleontology Synthesis Project, compiled servicewide paleontological resource data pertaining to geologic time, taxonomy, museum repositories, holotype fossil specimens, and numerous other topics. In 2015, the second phase of data management was implemented with the creation and organization of a multi-faceted digital data system known as the NPS Paleontology Archives and NPS Paleontology Library. Two components of the NPS Paleontology Archives were designed for the preservation of both park specific and servicewide paleontological resource archives and data. A third component, the NPS Paleontology Library, is a repository for electronic copies of geology and paleontology publications, reports, and other media. -
(Evolution) Prior to Darwin's Origin of Species
Theories of Species Change (Evolution) Prior to Darwin’s Origin of Species Theories of Species Change Prior to Darwin Entangled with: 1. Theories of geological change. 2. Theories of heredity. 3. And theories of ontogenesis, that is, of individual development– embryology. Notions of Species in the Classical Period of Greece Plato: the essence or form of an organism is eternal and unchanging; embodiment only the appearance of that form. Aristotle: the essence or form of an organism is incorporated in the physical body; the only kind of eternity enjoyed is through continued reproduction. Theories of Species Change in the Early Modern Period Descartes: gradual evolution of physical system according to fix laws (Discourse on Method, 1628). Buffon (1707-88) and Linnaeus (1707-78): God created a limited number of species, but through hybridization and impact of environment, new species appear. Kant: evolutionary development from earth possible only if earth already construed as purposive; species change possible but no evidence (Critique of Judgment, 1790). Transformation of one species into another through change of scaling, from D’Arcy Thompson, On Growth and Form (1942). Carus’s illustration of the Richard Owen’s illustration of the archetype archetype, from his On the Nature of Limbs (1849) Georges Cuvier (1769-1832). Portrait by François-André Vincent Adam’s Mammoth, found in Siberia in 18th century; St. Petersburg Natural History Museum Cuvier’s illustration of the Siberian mammoth; he identified it as an extinct species of elephant (1796). Cuvier’s illustration of the “Ohio Animal,” which he named “mastodon.” Megatherium (i.e., “large animal”), discovered in South America, described by Cuvier as an extinct creature similar to the modern sloth. -
Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology in Post-Truth Society
Behav Ecol Sociobiol (2017) 71:76 DOI 10.1007/s00265-017-2303-7 EDITORIAL Behavioral ecology and sociobiology in post-truth society James F. A. Traniello1 & Theo C. M. Bakker2 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2017 William Whewell (1833)coinedthetermscientist to describe the falsehoods and hoaxes that have virtually become every- experts in the study of natural phenomena. BNature,^ he day occurrences. Although the study of climate change has wrote, Bis a collection of facts governed by laws….To ascer- been the target of most high-profile assaults, skepticism is not tain such laws of nature is the peculiar business of science.^ restricted to atmospheric science or limited to specific research Today, scientists practice in a post-truth society in which trou- agendas. Online journalists attempt to throw truth and reality bling, and often disturbing, attitudes toward science have be- into question and undermine all science by challenging the come commonplace. Science is being marginalized and sup- peer review process. This attack on how ideas are critically pressed (Vernon 2017). Concerns are raised about risks of evaluated, how data are validated, and the nature of proof is human endangerment resulting from the disregard of science insidious. (Gross 2017). Parallels are drawn between the dissemination What should behavioral ecologists do in the present social andgrowthofBfake news^ and the spread of disease environment of denialism? How should we respond to science (Kucharski 2016). Higgins (2016) sounds the alarm: Blosing its relevance as a source of truth^ (Makri 2017)? The BScientists … should be shocked by the idea of post-truth, answer is that we should preach what we practice in a unified … speak up when scientific findings are ignored,… keep voice that is loud and clear. -
Copyrighted Material
Chapter 1 History Systematics has its origins in two threads of biological science: classification and evolution. The organization of natural variation into sets, groups, and hierarchies traces its roots to Aristotle and evolution to Darwin. Put simply, systematization of nature can and has progressed in absence of causative theories relying on ideas of “plan of nature,” divine or otherwise. Evolutionists (Darwin, Wallace, and others) proposed a rationale for these patterns. This mixture is the foundation of modern systematics. Originally, systematics was natural history. Today we think of systematics as being a more inclusive term, encompassing field collection, empirical compar- ative biology, and theory. To begin with, however, taxonomy, now known as the process of naming species and higher taxa in a coherent, hypothesis-based, and regular way, and systematics were equivalent. Roman bust of Aristotle (384–322 BCE) 1.1 Aristotle Systematics as classification (or taxonomy) draws its Western origins from Aris- totle1. A student of Plato at the Academy and reputed teacher of Alexander the Great, Aristotle founded the Lyceum in Athens, writing on a broad variety of topics including what we now call biology. To Aristotle, living things (species) came from nature as did other physical classes (e.g. gold or lead). Today, we refer to his classification of living things (Aristotle, 350 BCE) that show simi- larities with the sorts of classifications we create now. In short, there are three featuresCOPYRIGHTED of his methodology that weMATERIAL recognize immediately: it was functional, binary, and empirical. Aristotle’s classification divided animals (his work on plants is lost) using Ibn Rushd (Averroes) functional features as opposed to those of habitat or anatomical differences: “Of (1126–1198) land animals some are furnished with wings, such as birds and bees.” Although he recognized these features as different in aspect, they are identical in use. -
“The Advancement of Science: James Mckeen Cattell and the Networks Of
1 The Advancement of Science: James McKeen Cattell and the Networks of Prestige and Authority, 1894-1915 ROBIN VANDOME The need for an authoritative and widely-accessible American scientific periodical was keenly felt by 1880, when the weekly Science was established in New York by the journalist John Michels, with the financial backing of scientific entrepreneur Thomas Edison. As the astronomer and mathematician Simon Newcomb had observed with regret in 1874, “The difficulty is not that our scientific men are indifferent to knowledge, but that they do not go through the laborious and thankless process of digesting and elaborating their knowledge and publishing it to the world.”1 Some promising scientific publications had, in fact, emerged, ranging from the commercial Scientific American (established in 1846) and the specialist American Naturalist (established in 1867 and limited, as Newcomb noted, “entirely to biology”), to the more philosophically-inclined magazine aimed at a broadly-educated audience, Popular Science Monthly (established in 1872).2 But the only periodical that met Newcomb’s high standards for the publication of new research was the venerable American Journal of Science and Arts (established in 1818), and even that title was restricted largely to the earth sciences at the expense of many new disciplines.3 Multiple efforts to cater to general scientific interests in a single periodical were made in the 1870s and 1880s, only for most to flounder after a few months or years, in line with the typical pattern for new magazines in this period.4 The shorter-lived contemporaries of Science included the Science Record (1872-77), Scientific Monthly (1875-76), Scientific Observer (1877-87), Science News (1878-79), Illustrated Scientific News (1878-81), Scientific Man (1878-82), a second Science Record (1884-85), Science Review (1885-86), and Science and Education (1886-87), among still others.5 By 1900, however, Science clearly 2 filled the gap felt by the likes of Newcomb. -
GEOLOGY THEME STUDY Page 1
NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS Dr. Harry A. Butowsky GEOLOGY THEME STUDY Page 1 Geology National Historic Landmark Theme Study (Draft 1990) Introduction by Dr. Harry A. Butowsky Historian, History Division National Park Service, Washington, DC The Geology National Historic Landmark Theme Study represents the second phase of the National Park Service's thematic study of the history of American science. Phase one of this study, Astronomy and Astrophysics: A National Historic Landmark Theme Study was completed in l989. Subsequent phases of the science theme study will include the disciplines of biology, chemistry, mathematics, physics and other related sciences. The Science Theme Study is being completed by the National Historic Landmarks Survey of the National Park Service in compliance with the requirements of the Historic Sites Act of l935. The Historic Sites Act established "a national policy to preserve for public use historic sites, buildings and objects of national significance for the inspiration and benefit of the American people." Under the terms of the Act, the service is required to survey, study, protect, preserve, maintain, or operate nationally significant historic buildings, sites & objects. The National Historic Landmarks Survey of the National Park Service is charged with the responsibility of identifying America's nationally significant historic property. The survey meets this obligation through a comprehensive process involving thematic study of the facets of American History. In recent years, the survey has completed National Historic Landmark theme studies on topics as diverse as the American space program, World War II in the Pacific, the US Constitution, recreation in the United States and architecture in the National Parks. -
Epilogue: Pattern Cladistics from Goethe to Brady
Epilogue: Pattern Cladistics From Goethe to Brady Most, if not all, ideas in science are recycled, rediscovered, or rehashed, either sur- reptitiously, through rereading and rediscovering old works, or simply (commonly?) through lack of knowledge of past achievements. The idea of transformation—that things might change, transform, convert into other things—for instance, has been proposed many times, by both evolutionists and non-evolutionists alike. Yet the notion of transformation is really a myth, a story which many scientists embrace, a story that tells of living things transforming into other living things, with their role to interpret its meaning and mechanism: The fall of Paradise to the untamed wild, the tamed landscape to the Biblical flood, the reigns of monarchs, a kingdom to a republic and the pastoral to the industrial—of transformations there are plenty. A deep desire to uncover what mechanism(s) lie behind these transformations has provided many explanations, from the acquisition of sin after the fall from grace, to God’s will, to progress, however construed. The belief that every transformation neatly fits a law or model by which nature abides has shaped our way of thinking. Yet concomitant with such thoughts is the recognition that Nature is complex, and that Nature’s complexity obeys no single law or theory that places it neatly into a box. For every law and theory, we are told, there are exceptions, which are given ad hoc explanations. Man may have toiled the soil to shape nature into his or her image of Eden, but complexity does not fit any man-made law. -
Asa Gray's Plant Geography and Collecting Networks (1830S-1860S)
Finding Patterns in Nature: Asa Gray's Plant Geography and Collecting Networks (1830s-1860s) The Harvard community has made this article openly available. Please share how this access benefits you. Your story matters. Hung, Kuang-Chi. 2013. Finding Patterns in Nature: Asa Gray's Citation Plant Geography and Collecting Networks (1830s-1860s). Doctoral dissertation, Harvard University. Accessed April 17, 2018 4:20:57 PM EDT Citable Link http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:11181178 This article was downloaded from Harvard University's DASH Terms of Use repository, and is made available under the terms and conditions applicable to Other Posted Material, as set forth at http://nrs.harvard.edu/urn-3:HUL.InstRepos:dash.current.terms-of- use#LAA (Article begins on next page) Finding Patterns in Nature: Asa Gray’s Plant Geography and Collecting Networks (1830s-1860s) A dissertation presented by Kuang-Chi Hung to The Department of the History of Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the subject of History of Science Harvard University Cambridge, Massachusetts July 2013 © 2013–Kuang-Chi Hung All rights reserved Dissertation Advisor: Janet E. Browne Kuang-Chi Hung Finding Patterns in Nature: Asa Gray’s Plant Geography and Collecting Networks (1830s-1860s) Abstract It is well known that American botanist Asa Gray’s 1859 paper on the floristic similarities between Japan and the United States was among the earliest applications of Charles Darwin's evolutionary theory in plant geography. Commonly known as Gray’s “disjunction thesis,” Gray's diagnosis of that previously inexplicable pattern not only provoked his famous debate with Louis Agassiz but also secured his role as the foremost advocate of Darwin and Darwinism in the United States. -
Scientific Racism and the Legal Prohibitions Against Miscegenation
Michigan Journal of Race and Law Volume 5 2000 Blood Will Tell: Scientific Racism and the Legal Prohibitions Against Miscegenation Keith E. Sealing John Marshall Law School Follow this and additional works at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjrl Part of the Civil Rights and Discrimination Commons, Law and Race Commons, Legal History Commons, and the Religion Law Commons Recommended Citation Keith E. Sealing, Blood Will Tell: Scientific Racism and the Legal Prohibitions Against Miscegenation, 5 MICH. J. RACE & L. 559 (2000). Available at: https://repository.law.umich.edu/mjrl/vol5/iss2/1 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Michigan Journal of Race and Law by an authorized editor of University of Michigan Law School Scholarship Repository. For more information, please contact [email protected]. BLOOD WILL TELL: SCIENTIFIC RACISM AND THE LEGAL PROHIBITIONS AGAINST MISCEGENATION Keith E. Sealing* INTRODUCTION .......................................................................... 560 I. THE PARADIGM ............................................................................ 565 A. The Conceptual Framework ................................ 565 B. The Legal Argument ........................................................... 569 C. Because The Bible Tells Me So .............................................. 571 D. The Concept of "Race". ...................................................... 574 II. -
Eduard Uhlenhuth/Anatomy Department Library
Dr. Eduard Uhlenhuth Papers Item Type Other Authors Wink, Tara Publication Date 2020-12-11 Abstract Dr. Eduard Uhlenhuth was a professor of Anatomy at the University of Maryland School of Medicine from 1925 until his retirement in 1955. In 1957 he was named professor emeritus. He was an avid book collector amassing an extensive collection of Anatom... Keywords Uhlenhuth, Eduard; Department of Anatomy; Anatomical Book Collection; Anatomy; Anatomy--education; Anatomists; University of Maryland, Baltimore; University of Maryland, Baltimore. School of Medicine; Medical education Rights Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 International Download date 28/09/2021 04:39:25 Item License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/ Link to Item http://hdl.handle.net/10713/14245 Eduard Uhlenhuth/Anatomy Department Library Title Author Date Found in Cat Notes De Medicina Aulus Cornelius Celsus 1497 Cordell Coll "On Medicine" Matthaei Curtii…In Mundini Anatomen Commentarius Elegans & Docties Mondino dei Luzzi 1551 Cordell Coll De conceptu et generatione hominis : et iis quae circa hȩc potissimum consyderantur, libri sex Jakob Rueff 1554 Cordell Coll "On Conception and Generation in Man" Gabrielis Falloppii medici Mutinensis Obseruationes anatomicae Gabriel Fallopius/Falloppio 1562 Cordell Coll Theatrum anatomicum Caspar Bauhin 1605 Cordell Coll 1st ed. De lactibus sive lacteis venis Gaspare Aselli 1627 Cordell Coll Syntagma anatomicum Johann Vesling 1647 Cordel Coll Corporis hvmani disqvisitio anatomica Nathaniel Highmore 1651 Cordell Coll