University of West Bohemia in Pilsen
Study programmes & Course catalogue
for academic year 2025/2026
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Course: History and Philosophy of Biology

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Course title History and Philosophy of Biology
Course code KFI/HFBHN
Organizational form of instruction Lecture + Seminary
Level of course Master
Year of study not specified
Semester Winter and summer
Number of ECTS credits 3
Language of instruction Czech
Status of course unspecified
Form of instruction Face-to-face
Work placements This is not an internship
Recommended optional programme components None
Lecturer(s)
  • Grušová Eva, PhDr. Ph.D.
  • Macháček Ivan, doc. PhDr. CSc.
Course content
1. Historical development of knowledge of living nature: prehistory, antiquity (Greece, Roman times) 2. Historical development of knowledge of living nature: Middle Ages, Renaissance (botany, zoology) 3. Historical development of knowledge of living nature: Middle Ages, Renaissance (anatomy, medicine) 4. Development of biology and constitution of biological and biomedical disciplines (botany, zoology, anatomy, physiology, etc.). Carl von Linnaeus 5. Development of biology and constitution of biological and biomedical disciplines (botany, zoology, anatomy, physiology, etc.). G. L. L. de Buffon, G. Cuvier, J. B. Robinet 6. Development of biology and constitution of biological and biomedical disciplines. Cell theory (M. Schleiden. Th. Schwannn, J. E. Purkyně). 7. Evolutionary theory (J. B. Lamarck, J. B. Robinet, L. Oken, Ch. Darwin, A. R. Wallace); 8. Genetics (G. J. Mendel, J. Watson, F. Crick); 9. Population genetics (J. B. S. Haldane, R. A. Fisher, S. Wright, Motto Kimura, Gustave Malécot) 10. Synthetic theory of evolution (J. S. Huxley, J. B. S. Haldane, Lewontin, R. A. Fisher, T. G. Dobzhansky, S. Wright, J. M. Smith, W. D. Hamilton); 11. Sociobiology (A. Weismann, G. C. Williams, R. Dawkins, E. O. Wilson, J. S. Huxley, E. Mayr, M. T. Ghiselin). 12. Sociobiology (A. Weismann, G. C. Williams, R. Dawkins, E. O. Wilson, J. S. Huxley, E. Mayr, M. T. Ghiselin). 13. Theoretical discussions in the biology of the 20th century and their reflections in the philosophy of biology.

Learning activities and teaching methods
Interactive lecture, Textual studies
  • Graduate study programme term essay (40-50) - 26 hours per semester
  • Contact hours - 26 hours per semester
  • Preparation for an examination (30-60) - 26 hours per semester
prerequisite
Knowledge
to describe key events in world history
to list important philosophical trends and their representatives
to characterize the development of philosophical thinking in the context of historical development
to characterize the basic philosophical problems solved in various philosophical schools and their terminology
Skills
to analyze and interpret professional text in Czech and English
to process knowledge from a professional text into a comprehensive presentation
Competences
N/A
N/A
N/A
learning outcomes
Knowledge
to explain the terminology of biology
to describe the development of biology and name the representatives of European biology
Skills
to interpret classical texts of representatives of European biology
Competences
N/A
N/A
teaching methods
Knowledge
Interactive lecture
Textual studies
Self-study of literature
Skills
Seminar
Textual studies
Competences
Interactive lecture
Seminar
Textual studies
assessment methods
Knowledge
Seminar work
Continuous assessment
Combined exam
Recommended literature
  • Janko, Jan. Vědy o životě v českých zemích 1750-1950. Praha : Archiv Akademie věd České republiky, 1997. ISBN 80-902464-0-0.
  • Mayr, E. The Growth of Biological Thought: Diversity, Evolution, and Inheritance. 1982.
  • Mayr, E. Toward a New Philosophy of Biology: Observations of an Evolutionist. 1988.
  • Monod, J. Chance and Necessity. Collins, 1972.
  • Nagel, E. The Structure of Science: Problems in the Logic of Scientific Explanation. 1961.
  • Sarton, G. Introduction to the History of Science. 3 vols. Baltimore, 1948.


Study plans that include the course
Faculty Study plan (Version) Category of Branch/Specialization Recommended year of study Recommended semester
University of West Bohemia in Pilsen, date of update: 24.04.2025 23:52. Data created for academic year 2025/2026