1. Biology 107 – General Biology
(CRN & 30211)
Spring 2019
Miramar College
Professor Shawn P. Hurley, Ph.D.
Course Web site:
Office: S6-112Q
Office Hours: Tues. & Thurs. 2:30 – 3:30 PM; Fri. 12 – 2 PM; or
By appointment ( to schedule)

2. “Science is built of facts the way a house is built of bricks; but an accumulation of facts is no more science than a pile of bricks is a house”
― Henri Poincaré
My goal is to help you develop the skills to “build” and achieve deep meaningful understanding rather than simply “pile” facts.

3. The Learning Cycle Knowledge Base Expansion
Contextualization & Assimilation
Application
Search for New Understanding

4. INTRODUCTION TO THE WORLD OF BIOLOGY

5. Biology - The scientific discipline devoted to the study of life
What is life?
Why is this question so important and why study Biology?
Studying the nature of life allows Biologists to seek answers
to other “big” questions such as:

6. Discovery Science - scientists describe some aspect of the world and use inductive reasoning to draw general conclusions.
Induction - line of logic where generalizations are derived from a large number of specific observations; ex: “All organisms are made of cells.”
Hypothesis-based Science - based on observations, scientists propose hypotheses* (well-reasoned predictions or “explanations on trial”) and subsequently test them by seeing if the predictions are true. Deductive reasoning is used to test a hypothesis.
Deduction - line of logic where specifics are derived from general premises; usually takes the form of “If…then” proposals:
If a hypothesis is correct, and we test it, then we can expect a particular outcome.
*Hypotheses must be testable and capable of being proven incorrect

7. Biological Organization Follows a Hierarchy

10. In the course of the semester, we will follow the progression of this hierarchy - a retrospective journey taking a look at how life has evolved, moving from chemical foundations to the intricate and complex processes that maintain life:
Biochemical Basis 
Aggregation and Interaction
Cell Theory
Metabolism
Replication
Inheritance
Evolution
Biodiversity