CHAPTER II 



VESALIUS AND THE OVERTHROW OF AUTHORITY 



IN SCIENCE 



Vesalius, although an anatomist, is to be recognized in a 

 broad sense as one of the founders of biology. When one 

 is attempting to investigate animal and plant life, not only 

 must he become acquainted with the external appearance of 

 living organisms, but also must acquire early a knowledge 

 of their structure, without which other facts relating to their 

 lives can not be disclosed. Anatomy, which is the science 

 of the structure of organized beings, is therefore so funda- 

 mental that we find ourselves involved in tracing the history 

 of its rise as one part of the story of biology. But it is not 

 enough to know how animals and plants are constructed; 

 we must also know something about the purpose of the 

 structures and of the life that courses through them, and, 

 accordingly, after considering the rise of anatomy, we must 

 take a similar view of its counterpart, physiology. 



The great importance of Vesalius in the history of science 

 lies in the fact that he overthrew adherence to authority as 

 the method of ascertaining truth, and substituted therefor 

 observation and reason. Several of his forerunners had 

 tried to accomplish the same end, but they had failed. He 

 was indebted to them as every man is indebted to his fore- 

 bears, but at the same time we can not fail to see that Vesalius 

 was worthy of the victory. He was more resolute and force- 

 ful than any of his predecessors. He was one of those rare 



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