Biological Evolution and History of Biology
A.Y. 2018/2019
Learning objectives
To transmit the foundations of evolutionism and the style of evolutionary research. To transmit the foundations and methods of History of Sciences, in particular as far as ideas on evolution are concerned
Expected learning outcomes
Undefined
Lesson period: First semester
Assessment methods: Esame
Assessment result: voto verbalizzato in trentesimi
Single course
This course cannot be attended as a single course. Please check our list of single courses to find the ones available for enrolment.
Course syllabus and organization
Single session
Responsible
Course syllabus
History of Biology
History of science: methods and instruments: metodologie e strumenti
Introduction to the history of biology: concepts and specificities
Towards a common language: Linnaeus, classification and nomenclature reformation
Buffon and the transformation for environmental causes
Catastrophism and unitarianism
Lamarck and the transformation of species
Darwin's theory of evolution: variation, natural selection, divergence, gradualism, species and speciation, adaptation, sexual selection
Deep time and space: geology and biogeography
Nature as a network of complex relationships: the ecological dimension
Darwin and his times: Wallace, Huxley, Lyell, Hooker
The discussion on evolution theory in Italy
Impact and diffusion of Darwin's theory: arts and literature
Birth of genetics: the rediscovery of Mendel's laws
Eclipse and rebirth of Darwinism: the Modern Synthesis
An introduction tu the punctuated equilibria: Eldredge e Gould
Images of nature: from a ladder to a tree
Material history of sciences: archives, libraries and museums
Evolutionary Biology
1. A discussion on the key-words: evolution, evolutionism, history of life, theories of evolution, validation of the theories.
2. "Darwinian" evolutionism: variation and natural selection, vit deficitions and examples. Difficulties in finding evidences of mechanisms ion the past.
3. Adaptation as a result of natural selection. Maladapted or non-adapted characters. Limits of the adaptation: sexual selection, past history, physical constraints, morphogenetic and genetic constraints.
4. The species and the problem of definition. Morphological approach. Its limits: variability and sibling species. Ecological approach: the concept of ecological niche and the exclusion principle. The character displacement. Biological approach, definitions and limits: unuiparental reproduction.
5. Reproductive isolating mechanisms: definition, classification; their origin: reinforcement.
4. The origin of species: different speciation models: allopatric, parapatric, sympatric, and ecological. Role of natural seelction in speciation. Diffrent models of speciation are linked to different species definitions.
Study material
History of Biology
Material will be distributed during the lessons.
Basic text:
E. MAYR, Storia del pensiero biologico. Diversità, evoluzione, eredità, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1990.
Suggested readings:
G. BARSANTI, Una lunga pazienza cieca. Storia dell'evoluzionismo, Torino, Einaudi, 2005.
T. PIEVANI, Introduzione a Darwin, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2012.
T. PIEVANI, Anatomia di una rivoluzione. La logica della scoperta scientifica di Darwin, Mimesis, Milano, 2013.
OTHER MATERIALS
http://users.unimi.it/~ferragu/storia.htm
JEAN-BAPTISTE LAMARCK : WORKS AND HERITAGE: http://www.lamarck.cnrs.fr/index.php?lang=en
THE COMPLETE WORK OF CHARLES DARWIN ONLINE:
http://darwin-online.org.uk/
Biological evolution
M. Ferraguti & C. Castellacci Evoluzione: processi e modelli. Pearson Italia, 2011
Exams
Written
There will be open questions as well as moltiple choice tests
Propaedeuticity.
Knowledge of the foundations of biology
Modalities Lessons with slides. The slides will be published in ARIEL day by day
Language: Italian
Informations: in the Ariel site
http://mferragutiebsb.ariel.ctu.unimi.it/v1/Frm/ThreadList.aspx?name=contenuti&roomname=bacheca
History of science: methods and instruments: metodologie e strumenti
Introduction to the history of biology: concepts and specificities
Towards a common language: Linnaeus, classification and nomenclature reformation
Buffon and the transformation for environmental causes
Catastrophism and unitarianism
Lamarck and the transformation of species
Darwin's theory of evolution: variation, natural selection, divergence, gradualism, species and speciation, adaptation, sexual selection
Deep time and space: geology and biogeography
Nature as a network of complex relationships: the ecological dimension
Darwin and his times: Wallace, Huxley, Lyell, Hooker
The discussion on evolution theory in Italy
Impact and diffusion of Darwin's theory: arts and literature
Birth of genetics: the rediscovery of Mendel's laws
Eclipse and rebirth of Darwinism: the Modern Synthesis
An introduction tu the punctuated equilibria: Eldredge e Gould
Images of nature: from a ladder to a tree
Material history of sciences: archives, libraries and museums
Evolutionary Biology
1. A discussion on the key-words: evolution, evolutionism, history of life, theories of evolution, validation of the theories.
2. "Darwinian" evolutionism: variation and natural selection, vit deficitions and examples. Difficulties in finding evidences of mechanisms ion the past.
3. Adaptation as a result of natural selection. Maladapted or non-adapted characters. Limits of the adaptation: sexual selection, past history, physical constraints, morphogenetic and genetic constraints.
4. The species and the problem of definition. Morphological approach. Its limits: variability and sibling species. Ecological approach: the concept of ecological niche and the exclusion principle. The character displacement. Biological approach, definitions and limits: unuiparental reproduction.
5. Reproductive isolating mechanisms: definition, classification; their origin: reinforcement.
4. The origin of species: different speciation models: allopatric, parapatric, sympatric, and ecological. Role of natural seelction in speciation. Diffrent models of speciation are linked to different species definitions.
Study material
History of Biology
Material will be distributed during the lessons.
Basic text:
E. MAYR, Storia del pensiero biologico. Diversità, evoluzione, eredità, Torino, Bollati Boringhieri, 1990.
Suggested readings:
G. BARSANTI, Una lunga pazienza cieca. Storia dell'evoluzionismo, Torino, Einaudi, 2005.
T. PIEVANI, Introduzione a Darwin, Roma-Bari, Laterza, 2012.
T. PIEVANI, Anatomia di una rivoluzione. La logica della scoperta scientifica di Darwin, Mimesis, Milano, 2013.
OTHER MATERIALS
http://users.unimi.it/~ferragu/storia.htm
JEAN-BAPTISTE LAMARCK : WORKS AND HERITAGE: http://www.lamarck.cnrs.fr/index.php?lang=en
THE COMPLETE WORK OF CHARLES DARWIN ONLINE:
http://darwin-online.org.uk/
Biological evolution
M. Ferraguti & C. Castellacci Evoluzione: processi e modelli. Pearson Italia, 2011
Exams
Written
There will be open questions as well as moltiple choice tests
Propaedeuticity.
Knowledge of the foundations of biology
Modalities Lessons with slides. The slides will be published in ARIEL day by day
Language: Italian
Informations: in the Ariel site
http://mferragutiebsb.ariel.ctu.unimi.it/v1/Frm/ThreadList.aspx?name=contenuti&roomname=bacheca
M-STO/05 - HISTORY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY - University credits: 6
Lessons: 48 hours
Professor:
Bandi Claudio
Professor(s)