Biology...concepts and foundations

Biology consists of an astonishing array of facts, and this poses a great problem in the elementary study of biology, because merely assembling these facts requires great effort and leaves little time for contemplation of what they mean, and how they fit together. It is not surprising that students often fail completely to understand the meaning of this disjointed pile of information until the end of the study, and these incoherent facts are quickly erased from their minds. The book aims to present the facts in a simplified and organized manner. It deals with concepts more than the facts of biology, although the facts are of course the basis of the concepts, because through them we can understand the concepts, as the given material goes hand in hand with the body of biology. Written as supplementary reading, the book is based on a body that can be read by the intelligent layman who wants to become familiar with current intellectual currents in the biological sciences. It is important to apply some of these biology concepts to humans, and take into account their formation, genetics, and development. It is possible and most important for us to contemplate its environmental issues, its changing role on the surface of the Earth, and the resulting effects on its environment, on other plants and animals around it, and on its future itself.