Teacher : Dr. AMROUN-BOUARIDJ Djouher.

    Contact : djouher.amroun@univ-bejaia.dz / djoudjoubouaridj@gmail.com

   Availability: Office 228, Sundays from 11:20 AM to 12:50 PM.

• Understand the Evolution of Biological Sciences: Trace the historical development of biology from ancient practices to modern scientific disciplines.

• Recognize Key Figures and Milestones: Identify influential scientists and discoveries that have shaped our understanding of life and its processes.

• Appreciate Interdisciplinary Contributions: Explore how advancements in technology, medicine, and other sciences have influenced biological knowledge.

• Develop Critical Thinking: Analyze how historical contexts shaped scientific progress and the interplay between cultural, philosophical, and technological factors.

• Inspire Scientific Inquiry: Encourage a deeper appreciation for the biological sciences and their impact on understanding and improving life.

Chapter I: Introduction to Universal History of Biological Sciences and History of biology in the prehistoric era

Specific Objectives

• Understand Early Human Interaction with Nature: Explore how prehistoric humans observed and utilized plants, animals, and their environment for survival, including food, shelter, and medicine.

• Examine the Roots of Biological Knowledge: Identify the origins of fundamental biological practices, such as plant domestication and animal breeding, in prehistoric times.

• Analyze Early Medical Practices: Understand how prehistoric humans used empirical methods to treat illnesses and injuries based on their observations of the natural world.

• Recognize Symbolism and Cultural Influence: Investigate how early humans incorporated biological phenomena into their art, rituals, and mythology.

• Trace the Transition to Early Civilizations: Highlight how the accumulation of biological knowledge during prehistory set the stage for more structured scientific approaches in ancient civilizations.

Exchange area

This area is reserved for exchanges between students.

Chapter II: Antiquity

Specific objectives 

1. Trace the Origins of Biological Thought

• Explore early contributions to biology by ancient civilizations, such as:
• Greek thinkers like Aristotle, often considered the "Father of Biology," for his work on taxonomy and animal observation.
• Hippocrates, the "Father of Medicine," and his approach to natural causes of disease.
• Roman and Egyptian advancements in anatomy, medicine, and pharmacology.

2. Study Early Practices in Medicine and Health

• Investigate ancient medical practices, including surgical techniques, herbal remedies, and early understandings of disease prevention.
• Analyze Egyptian medical texts like the Ebers Papyrus, which documented treatments and diseases.

3. Understand Contributions to Anatomy and Physiology

• Learn how ancient dissections and anatomical studies, such as those conducted by Herophilos and Erasistratus, shaped the field of human biology.
• Examine Egyptian mummification processes and how they contributed to knowledge about human anatomy.

4. Explore the Evolution of Scientific Methodology

• Study how early thinkers combined observation, experimentation, and philosophical reasoning to develop biological concepts.
• Understand the foundations laid by ancient scholars for the modern scientific method.

5. Analyze Agricultural and Environmental Practices

• Learn about early agricultural innovations, such as irrigation systems in Mesopotamia and Egypt, and their impact on ecosystems.
• Study how ancient civilizations managed biodiversity through selective breeding of plants and animals.

6. Investigate Early Ideas About Ecology and Natural History

• Explore ancient views on ecosystems and interspecies relationships, such as Aristotle's classification system and ideas about the "Great Chain of Being."
• Understand how ancient thinkers conceptualized the balance between humans and nature.

7. Examine the Legacy of Ancient Biological Knowledge

• Trace how ancient knowledge influenced later scientific revolutions, such as the Renaissance and Enlightenment.
• Identify biological principles from antiquity that persist in modern biology, like the classification of organisms or basic anatomical structures.

8. Develop a Multidisciplinary Perspective

• Integrate history, philosophy, and biology to understand how cultural and scientific ideas co-evolved.

• Appreciate the role of historical contexts in shaping the development of biological sciences.

Exchange area

This area is reserved for exchanges between students.

Chapter III: Middle Ages

Specific objectives:

1. Preservation and Transmission of Knowledge

• Study how ancient biological texts (e.g., works of Hippocrates, Galen, Aristotle, and Theophrastus) were preserved, translated, and expanded by medieval scholars.
• Explore the role of Islamic scholars (e.g., Avicenna, Al-Razi) in preserving and advancing biological knowledge.

2. Advances in Medicine and Anatomy

• Examine medieval medical practices, including surgical techniques, bloodletting, and the humoral theory of health and disease.
• Study the role of medical schools, such as those in Salerno, Baghdad, and Montpellier, in advancing anatomy and medicine.
• Explore the impact of religious beliefs on dissection and anatomical studies.

3. Botany and Herbal Medicine

• Analyze medieval herbals and their role in documenting plant-based remedies.
• Study monastic contributions to botany, including the cultivation of medicinal plants in monastery gardens.
• Discuss the work of Hildegard of Bingen and her contributions to natural history and herbal medicine.

4. Agricultural Practices and Environmental Interactions

• Investigate medieval innovations in agriculture, such as the three-field system, crop rotation, and improvements in soil management.
• Study the impact of medieval farming on ecosystems and biodiversity.
• Examine the domestication and use of animals for farming, transport, and food.

5. Natural Philosophy and Zoology

• Explore medieval interpretations of animal behavior, anatomy, and classification, influenced by Aristotle’s works.
• Study medieval bestiaries and their blend of natural observation and allegory.
• Analyze the influence of religious texts on understanding life and nature.

6. The Role of Universities and Scholarly Exchange

• Study the rise of medieval universities and their role in shaping biological thought.
• Explore the interplay of Islamic, Jewish, and Christian scholars in the exchange of ideas.

7. Epidemics and Public Health

• Analyze the understanding and management of diseases, such as the Black Death and leprosy.
• Explore medieval public health practices and their biological underpinnings.

8. Legacy of Medieval Biological Sciences

• Reflect on how medieval biological knowledge bridged ancient and modern science.
• Evaluate the long-term impact of medieval scholars and texts on the Renaissance and beyond.

Exchange area

This area is reserved for exchanges between students.

Chapter IV: Renaissance

Specific objectives:

HUSB COURSE

HUSB COURSE
Wednesday, December 4 · 6:00 – 7:00pm
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/xsa-qzfy-ccb