What make you feel strong about BIOLOGY?

[somebody]

hey, guys just need a survey on why you feel strong about biology and feel that everyone should know general facts (e.g. digestive system) about it?

[Mercedes Benzene]

Biology is life. Life is biology.

It is a very important subject that will help in numerous medical and scientific jobs.

[Queso]

Understanding yields freedom.

 

Keep on truckin'

[Eclogite]

I have minimal interest in the mechanics of my digestive system (though I do like to provide it with excellent food and fine wine).

What is important, it seems to me, are understanding the principles of

a) evolution

:lightning genetics

c) ecology

[LJP07]

a) evolution

:) genetics

c) ecology

 

More like :

 

a ) Nutrition

b ) Ecology

c ) Physiology

[cwes99_03]

Yah have to agree with polu there. Evolution is not a necessary thing in my book, but I am a creationist. Can anyone tell me why evolution would be a necessary piece of knowledge for every human to know?

 

Knowledge protects you from quacks and whackos.

Knowing a bit about YOUR body, as well as how a body should work will protect you from being taken advantage up by snake oil salesmen.

[somebody]

i believe its important to know about evolution is because its the origin. If middle school can teach students about male and female sex then learning about evolution should be just as equal. By the way if church thinks its important to teach people about origin then it must be important :hihi:

[LJP07]

Although that Depends on what religion your part of? :)

[Ganoderma]

Evolution is not just History but present and future. Lets just assume that everything did evolve (for arguments sake, keep an open mind). Lets also assume that somehow we know exactly how humans evolved every step of the way and why (environment, growth, social etc). So if we know why exactly we have 2 eyes, upright posture etc I would think it would be rather easy to direct the future evolution more or less in a manner that we find fitting. If we know what exactly caused us to be able run the way we run, perhaps we can adjust the way we do things to enable us to evolve further in the right direction.

 

it could also be applied to other organisms and aid in their protection and/or destruction.

 

I personally like biology because i can go play in a pond of mud. And thats OK. As kids many of use paly in dirt, pick up bugs and make random bug/plant/sand pies. When doing "bio-Stuff" you can do the same thing and hopefully get paid for it!

[LJP07]

Evolution is not just History but present and future. Lets just assume that everything did evolve (for arguments sake, keep an open mind). Lets also assume that somehow we know exactly how humans evolved every step of the way and why (environment, growth, social etc). So if we know why exactly we have 2 eyes, upright posture etc I would think it would be rather easy to direct the future evolution more or less in a manner that we find fitting. If we know what exactly caused us to be able run the way we run, perhaps we can adjust the way we do things to enable us to evolve further in the right direction.

 

 

I did actually assume it, but still don't see the point of it.:)

[cwes99_03]

Evolution is not just History but present and future. Lets just assume that everything did evolve (for arguments sake, keep an open mind). Lets also assume that somehow we know exactly how humans evolved every step of the way and why (environment, growth, social etc). So if we know why exactly we have 2 eyes, upright posture etc I would think it would be rather easy to direct the future evolution more or less in a manner that we find fitting. If we know what exactly caused us to be able run the way we run, perhaps we can adjust the way we do things to enable us to evolve further in the right direction.

 

it could also be applied to other organisms and aid in their protection and/or destruction.

 

 

There is a lot of could'a in that post. The point is we don't know all those things, if any of those things. So how does understanding the evolutionary theory of anything affect what an average person does on a daily basis? How does it influence future events.

 

Thus why would it be important to joe schmo to have

understanding the principles of

a) evolution

 

This is why I don't agree with it on your list.

[LJP07]

I have exactly the same standpoint on this matter, and what Cwes stated is what the reality is, maybe you could clarify further without if's, but's and coulda's, and focus on a reality statement that today would make it easier to understand as to why people should learn about their evolutionary history and not the present and future self.

[shirleypearls20]

hey, guys just need a survey on why you feel strong about biology and feel that everyone should know general facts (e.g. digestive system) about it?

 

I think what we do everydday is a part of biology. From the first breath that we took on the first day of our birth till the last breath eerything that we do is completely concerned with biology.So it is essential to learn about our own system.

[cwes99_03]

Not necessarily. There are many things we do that are not merely biological, because we choose to do them. My going to work is not a biological function.

[Ganoderma]

What I am saying is that when we know our past we can better understand our future direction. The fact that we don’t know much at all about it leads me to think it’s that much more important to figure out. Why learn about past wars, farming, hunting? Maybe because it can help us in the present and future be better at these things. My basic opinion is that it is a very large part of our history. So if we need to sit and learn about how Europeans killed lots of Americans (Indians) why not learn how we as people came to develop the way we did. Surely the benefit would be greater?

[cwes99_03]

What I am saying is that when we know our past we can better understand our future direction. The fact that we don’t know much at all about it leads me to think it’s that much more important to figure out. Why learn about past wars, farming, hunting? Maybe because it can help us in the present and future be better at these things. My basic opinion is that it is a very large part of our history. So if we need to sit and learn about how Europeans killed lots of Americans (Indians) why not learn how we as people came to develop the way we did. Surely the benefit would be greater?

 

This would be all well and good IF

1) You could provide a clear picture of the evolutionary history and be able to call if fact

2) You could show with that clear picture of evolutionary history what it means for the future.

 

 

Currently we can factually prove what happened during wars and what didn't.

We can take reasonable logical abstractions from that data and say what would or could likely happen if something similar were to happen again. Thus it is for everyone to know because everyone can know.

Currently we can not factually prove what happened during the supposed millions or billions of years of evolution on this planet. I'm not saying that scientists and historians can't keep searching, but until they can provide 100% factual evidence and not just theory it isn't a requirement that everyone need to know.

 

It is like saying that everyone needs to know Special and General relativity in order to understand how to drive their car. Well, maybe that is more plausible, but SGR is still just a theory too I guess.

[Raskolnikov]

Evolution is extremely relevant to a layperson. In fact, biology doesn't make any sense except through the lens of evolution.

 

I hate the phrase "just theory." In science "theory" means roughly the same thing as "fact" does in colloquial conversation. In a layperson's terminology, it's a fact that evolution occurs and explains the diversity of life.