Research Article: History of Genetics: Ancient and Classical Views of Heredity

History of Genetics: Ancient and Classical Views of Heredity

The term genetics was coined at the beginning of the twentieth century to separate new forms of scientific inquiry from previous studies of generation, inheritance, or heredity. Classical genetics was originally part broad area of science known as "generation," a term that originally encompassed the study of reproduction, embryology, development and differentiation, regeneration of parts, and genetics. As early as the sixth century B.C., Greek philosophers had begun to search for explanations of how and why the world and human beings came to be formed and organized as they were. The work of Socrates (470-399 B.C.), Plato (429-347 B.C.), and Aristotle (384-322 B.C.) established the foundations of Western science and philosophy. Aristotle's major biological works, including On the Generation of Animals, raised fundamental questions about reproduction, development, and heredity. By recognizing the value of studying organisms in detail, Aristotle initiated a fruitful approach to philosophy and biology.

One of Aristotle's...
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