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.

An introduction to biology, the science of life forms and living processes, exploring the diversity of living organisms and early human perceptions of the natural world.