Biology is the science of life forms and living processes.
Biology is the study of living things—how they function, how they are structured, and how they interact. It deals with all processes that sustain life.
The living world comprises an amazing diversity of living organisms.
Life on Earth exists in many forms, from tiny bacteria to giant whales. This variety is called biodiversity.
Early man could easily perceive the difference between inanimate matter and living organisms.
Even primitive humans could tell the difference between living beings and non-living things, noticing that only living things move, grow, and reproduce.
Early man deified some of the inanimate matter (wind, sea, fire etc.) and some among the animals and plants.
They began to worship natural elements and powerful animals or plants, believing them to hold spiritual significance.
Deified: Worshipped or treated as gods.
A common feature of all such forms of inanimate and animate objects was the sense of awe or fear that they evoked.
Whether living or non-living, things that were mighty or mysterious caused feelings of wonder and fear in early humans.
Awe-evoking: Inspiring wonder, reverence, or fear.
The description of living organisms including human beings began much later in human history.
Systematic and scientific study of humans and other life forms started only after civilizations developed knowledge and tools for analysis.
Societies which indulged in anthropocentric view of biology could register limited progress in biological knowledge.
Cultures that focused only on humans (anthropocentric view) made little scientific advancement, as they ignored the broader web of life.
Anthropocentric: Human-centered, ignoring other organisms.
Systematic and monumental description of life forms brought in, out of necessity, detailed systems of identification, nomenclature and classification.
As the study of life expanded, scientists developed organized methods to identify, name (nomenclature), and group (classify) organisms for better understanding.
The biggest spin off of such studies was the recognition of the sharing of similarities among living organisms both horizontally and vertically.
These studies showed that living things share common features not just within the present generation (horizontal) but also across time through evolution (vertical).
That all present day living organisms are related to each other and also to all organisms that ever lived on this earth, was a revelation which humbled man and led to cultural movements for conservation of biodiversity.
Realizing that all organisms—past and present—are connected, humbled humanity and motivated efforts to protect the variety of life on Earth (biodiversity).
In the following chapters of this unit, you will get a description, including classification, of animals and plants from a taxonomist’s perspective.
The upcoming sections will explore how experts (taxonomists) classify and describe animals and plants in an organized scientific way.
📘 Summary Table
| Concept | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Biology | Study of life and living processes |
| Living World | Vast variety of organisms on Earth |
| Early Man’s View | Distinguished living from non-living, worshipped nature |
| Scientific Study | Began later, introduced systematic naming and study |
| Anthropocentric Limitation | Human-centered views hindered biological progress |
| Classification Importance | Revealed similarities and evolutionary relationships |
| Conservation Awakening | Inspired efforts to preserve biodiversity |
| Next Topics | Classification of plants and animals |