Father of Biology: Why is Aristotle known as the Father of Biology?

The Greek philosopher Aristotle is regarded as the Father of Biology. In fact, the word “bio” is derived from Greek, meaning “life and living organisms”. Aristotle’s theory of biology is known as “Aristotle’s biology”. The father of biology studied metabolism, temperature regulation, inheritance, information processing, and embryogenesis.

Biology is one of the three primary fields of natural science. It is the science of living organisms such as animals, plants, fungi, microbes, etc., and their evolution. Learn more about the father of biology, his biography, and his contributions to the field of biology here.

Who is the Father of Biology?

Aristotle is known as the Father of Biology. Aristotle was a Greek philosopher who visited Lesvos in the 4th century BC, an Aegean island abounding with animals both then and now. His excitement with what he discovered there and his meticulous research into it resulted in the formation of a new science known as biology.

Since he was one of the founders of the key theories of the science of biology, Aristotle is regarded as the father of biology. Additionally, Aristotle is also known as the father of zoology for his contributions to the study.

Father of Biology: Biography

Besides being the father of Biology, Aristotle is known for his contributions to numerous other fields. He is one of the most highly regarded Greek philosophers. Check out the biography of the father of biology below.

Father of Biology: Discoveries

Aristotle is known as the father of biology because of the numerous discoveries he made and the theories he proposed. Rather than linking it to supernatural interference, Aristotle examined the natural world extensively and investigated its origins using scientific knowledge and rigorous observations. Some of the discoveries and works of the father of biology are as follows.

• Aristotle's biology theory includes a study on temperatures, metabolism, inheritance, embryogenesis, and information processing.
• He was the first biologist to discover animal relationships and develop a classification system.
• The father of biology, Aristotle's methods matched that of modern scientists when they investigate a new region. The methods include systematic data collecting, pattern finding, and deduction of probable interpretations from these.
• The father of biology did not conduct experiments in the contemporary sense; instead, he observed live creatures and dissected them. He recognizes around 500 bird, mammal, and fish species, as well as dozens of insects as well as other invertebrates. He dissected roughly 35 species and described their internal anatomy.

Father of Biology: Works

Thanks to medieval manuscripts built on a first-century BCE edition, the father of biology’s corpus survived. Until Aristotle’s biological books were jointly translated into Arabic, there were no comments on them. Here is further information about the works of the father of biology.

• The Latin translations of an Arabic version by Michael Scot, which form the foundation of Albertus Magnus' De animalibus, are the earliest appearance of Aristotle's biological works in the West.
• There are a number of shorter 'essays' on more specific topics in addition to the three volumes traditionally referred to it as History of Animals (HA), Parts of Animals (PA), and Generation of Animals (GA).
• These have information on animal motion, animal locomotion, respiration, life and death, youth and old age, life expectancy, sleeping and waking, etc.

Who is the Real Father of Biology?

Sometimes, people other than Aristotle are regarded as the father of biology. Since there are different branches of biology, there are also different pioneers of those branches. The several branches of biology and its pioneers are discussed in the table below.

FAQs on Father of Biology

Q1. Who is the father of biology?

Aristotle is known as the Father of Biology. Aristotle was a Greek philosopher and polymath, who contributed greatly to the subjects of biology and zoology. Due to his biological theories and discoveries, he is regarded as the father of biology.

Q2. Who is the father of modern biology?

Charles Darwin is regarded as the father of modern biology. Darwin studied and proposed the theory of evolution, a theory that changed the entire outlook on human existence. Due to his significant contributions to the development of biology, Darwin is known as the father of modern biology.

Q3. Who is the father of biology in India?

Dr. P M Bhargava is known as the father of biology in India. He established the Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology in Hyderabad. As the father of biology in India, one of his arguments was to include scientific rationalism as a civic duty.

Q4. Who is the father of biology and zoology?

Aristotle is known as the father of biology and zoology. Aristotle was a Greek polymath, well-versed in many subjects. He studied metabolism, temperature regulation, inheritance, information processing, and embryogenesis.

Q5. What are some of the important works of the father of biology?

Some of the significant works of the father of biology, Aristotle, are listed below.

• “Aristotle’s Biology” where he studied metabolism, temperature regulation, inheritance, information processing, and embryogenesis.
• The three volumes of History of Animals (HA), Parts of Animals (PA), and Generation of Animals (GA).