Biology
Aristotle’s main area of study was undoubtedly biology. His many treatises on the subject include History of Animal, Parts of Animals, Movement of Animals, Progression of Animals, and Generation of Animals. Although Aristotle’s zoological studies were not perfect, they were probably the greatest advances in biology ever made.
Aristotle classified organisms into different groups. Genera were larger, broader groups, and the species within them were more specific. Genus and species are two of the taxa used in our modern taxonomic system, albeit much more specific than the groups named so by Aristotle.
Aristotle classified organisms into two large groups: organisms with blood and those without blood (as he observed them). These two groups actually correspond quite closely with the two of our modern phyla, vertebrates and invertebrates. The blooded animals (vertebrates in our system) were divided into the genera viviparous quadrupeds, oviparous quadrupeds, birds, fish, and whales. The viviparous quadrupeds mean mammals, because they give birth to live young, and oviparous quadrupeds are reptiles and amphibians, because they are egg-laying quadrupeds. Whales were their own genus because, although Aristotle realized that they were not fish, he did not make the connection that they were actually mammals.
Judging from the accuracy of Aristotle’s zoological work, especially with aquatic creatures, he must have dissected animals extensively, and would have been the first to do so. He made very thorough observations, and in one case wrote about a dogfish that wasn’t seen again until the 1800s, and was not believed in the two thousand years between.
Aristotle classified organisms into different groups. Genera were larger, broader groups, and the species within them were more specific. Genus and species are two of the taxa used in our modern taxonomic system, albeit much more specific than the groups named so by Aristotle.
Aristotle classified organisms into two large groups: organisms with blood and those without blood (as he observed them). These two groups actually correspond quite closely with the two of our modern phyla, vertebrates and invertebrates. The blooded animals (vertebrates in our system) were divided into the genera viviparous quadrupeds, oviparous quadrupeds, birds, fish, and whales. The viviparous quadrupeds mean mammals, because they give birth to live young, and oviparous quadrupeds are reptiles and amphibians, because they are egg-laying quadrupeds. Whales were their own genus because, although Aristotle realized that they were not fish, he did not make the connection that they were actually mammals.
Judging from the accuracy of Aristotle’s zoological work, especially with aquatic creatures, he must have dissected animals extensively, and would have been the first to do so. He made very thorough observations, and in one case wrote about a dogfish that wasn’t seen again until the 1800s, and was not believed in the two thousand years between.