Biology Introduction

Biology and the Living World

• Biology is the science of life forms and living processes, encompassing an immense diversity of living organisms.
• Early humans recognized the difference between inanimate matter and living organisms, often deifying certain elements of nature and specific animals and plants.

Development of Biological Knowledge

• Societies with an anthropocentric view of biology made limited progress in understanding biological concepts.
• Systematic and detailed descriptions of life forms led to the development of identification, nomenclature, and classification systems.
• These studies revealed the sharing of similarities among living organisms, both horizontally and vertically.

Unity and Diversity of Life

• All present-day living organisms are related to each other and to all organisms that have ever lived on Earth.
• This understanding has led to cultural movements for the conservation of biodiversity.

Overview of the Unit

• The following chapters will cover the description, classification, and taxonomy of animals and plants from a taxonomist's perspective.
• The chapters will explore the living world, biological classification, plant kingdom, and animal kingdom.