Theoretical biology: Difference between revisions
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imported>Anthony.Sebastian (redirect reader to Addendum subpage, and rewrite of intro.) |
imported>Daniel Mietchen (slight rephrasing of intro) |
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:::::::''For a compendium of perspectives on the province of theoretical biology, click this article's accompanying tab, 'Addendum', or click [[Theoretical biology/Addendum]], which serves as a continuation of the Main Article.'' | :::::::''For a compendium of perspectives on the province of theoretical biology, click this article's accompanying tab, 'Addendum', or click [[Theoretical biology/Addendum]], which serves as a continuation of the Main Article.'' | ||
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'''Theoretical biology''' applies the tools of [[reason]] toward the goal of explaining the [[Biology|biological]] world, and its manifold aspects, through the development of | '''Theoretical biology''' applies the tools of [[reason]] toward the goal of explaining the [[Biology|biological]] world, and its manifold aspects, through the development of models, hypotheses and eventually [[Theory|theories]]. It thereby distinguishes itself from [[Observation|observational]] and [[Experiment|experimental]] biology, though without these empirical disciplines, theoretical biologists would have neither inspiration nor information with which to produce models or hypotheses, or to evaluate them. [[Charles Darwin|Charles Darwin's]] and [[Alfred Russel Wallace|Alfred Russel Wallace's]] theory of [[Evolution|evolution]] by means of [[Natural selection|natural selection]], or survival of the fittest, aptly illustrates the co-dependence of observation and reason in producing biological theory. | ||
==Scope of theoretical biology== | ==Scope of theoretical biology== | ||
Revision as of 18:52, 26 December 2008
- For a compendium of perspectives on the province of theoretical biology, click this article's accompanying tab, 'Addendum', or click Theoretical biology/Addendum, which serves as a continuation of the Main Article.
Theoretical biology applies the tools of reason toward the goal of explaining the biological world, and its manifold aspects, through the development of models, hypotheses and eventually theories. It thereby distinguishes itself from observational and experimental biology, though without these empirical disciplines, theoretical biologists would have neither inspiration nor information with which to produce models or hypotheses, or to evaluate them. Charles Darwin's and Alfred Russel Wallace's theory of evolution by means of natural selection, or survival of the fittest, aptly illustrates the co-dependence of observation and reason in producing biological theory.