A NEW CIVIC BIOLOGY 



CHAPTER I 



THE GENERAL PROBLEM — SOME REASONS FOR 

 THE STUDY OF BIOLOGY 



The Study of Biology. — The word hioVogy comes from two Greek 

 words, hios (Hfe) and logos (word or study). Biology, then, is the 

 study of things that are aHve, both plants and animals. And 

 since man is the highest and most important of all living creatures, 

 it is only fitting that emphasis should be placed chiefly on the 

 science underlying man's health and well-being. 



Biology is a modern science ; it has found its way into most 

 high schools, and an. increasingly large number of girls and boys 

 are engaged in its study every year. These questions might well 

 be asked by any of the students : Why do I take up the study of 

 biology? Of what practical value is it to me? Besides the dis- 

 cipline it gives me, is there anything that I can take away which 

 will help me in my future life ? 



Knowing about Nature is Worth While. — Most of us know 

 something about biology. We are constantly meeting or playing 

 with or collecting living things. We visit the '^ zoo," we have 

 pets, or gardens, we read the papers and magazines ; thus we have 

 some knowledge. But this knowledge is often not very accurate.^ 

 It is worth while from the standpoint of pleasure in one's life to^ 

 know a little about the varied forms of life that one may meet on 

 a walk in the fields or a stroll along the ocean beach. Even for 

 the pleasure it gives us, we should study biology. 



Physiology and Hygiene. — If the study of biology will give us a 

 better understanding of our own bodies and their care, then it cer- 

 tainly is of use to us. That phase of biology known as physioVogy 

 deals with the uses of the parts of a plant or an animal ; human 

 physiology and hygiene (hi'ji-en) deal with the uses and care of 

 the parts of the human body. The prevention of sickness is due 

 in a large part to the study of hygiene. It is estimated that over 



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