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| Gregor Mendel (1822-1884) wikimedia |
Background
The scientific theory of origins of the species through natural selection was very fruitful as a hypothesis as it opened up significant new lines of inquiry for the study of living organisms. However, at the time of the publication of his seminal book in 1859 neither Charles Darwin nor any of his colleagues had understanding of the possible mechanisms at work. The insight Darwin gained about life came from careful observation of living creatures such as the variations in species living in separated locations in Galapagos Islands. Darwin was also observing fossils as a history book of life that was now understood in timed sequences according to Lyell's uniform theory on the formation of geological layers.
Gregor Mendel
The next step in humanity's quest for knowledge about life came from an unexpected direction: the silence of a monastery and its gardens - the Augustinian Abbey of St Thomas in Brno. Mendel knew nothing of the know about the intrigue mechanisms on cellular and even molecular level that are involved in the processes. In the same way as Charles Darwin and George Lyell, he worked on accurate observation, careful long-term recording of facts that could be verified and mapped details of natural phenomena. Deeper explanations to the observations of these world-famous students of God's creation was to come generations later but would have not been possible without their contributions.
Gregor Johann Mendel (1822 – 1884) was an Austrian scientist and Augustinian friar who gained posthumous fame as the founder of the new science of genetics.
Mendel demonstrated that the inheritance of certain traits in pea plants follows particular patterns, now referred to as the laws of Mendelian inheritance. Although the significance of Mendel's work was not recognized until the turn of the 20th century, the independent rediscovery of these laws formed the foundation of the modern science of genetics.
wikipedia
Mendel demonstrated that the inheritance of certain traits in pea plants follows particular patterns, now referred to as the laws of Mendelian inheritance. Although the significance of Mendel's work was not recognized until the turn of the 20th century, the independent rediscovery of these laws formed the foundation of the modern science of genetics.
wikipedia
Christian monks and science?
I think it is good for the ardent religious opponents of evolutionary biology to notice that some of the scholars who have greatly advanced the study of the origins of species and contributed to the theory of evolution were in fact Christians. Including Charles Darwin himself.
For the study of God's creation is not just a matter of ideology or religious ideas how things should be but humble quest for Truth, how things were and are.
There may be a popular idea that friars are so separated from life and so deep in religion that they have not much interest, knowledge or understanding of modern science. Such a notion is, of course, false. For example Gregor Mendel had quite an illustrious academic record in several branches of science of his time and wrote extensively especially about meteorology.
During his childhood, Mendel worked as a gardener, studied beekeeping, and as a young man attended Gymnasium (school) in Opava. From 1840 to 1843, he studied practical and theoretical philosophy as well as physics at the University of Olomouc Faculty of Philosophy, taking a year off because of illness.
When Mendel entered the Faculty of Philosophy, the Department of Natural History and Agriculture was headed by Johann Karl Nestler, who conducted extensive research of hereditary traits of plants and animals, especially sheep. In 1843 Mendel began his training as a priest. Upon recommendation of his physics teacher Friedrich Franz, he entered the Augustinian Abbey of St Thomas in Brno in 1843.
Born Johann Mendel, he took the name Gregor upon entering religious life. In 1851 he was sent to the University of Vienna to study under the sponsorship of Abbot C. F. Napp. At Vienna, his professor of physics was Christian Doppler. Mendel returned to his abbey in 1853 as a teacher, principally of physics, and by 1867, he had replaced Napp as abbot of the monastery.
Besides his work on plant breeding while at St Thomas's Abbey, Mendel also bred bees in a bee house that was built for him, using bee hives that he designed. He also studied astronomy and meteorology, founding the 'Austrian Meteorological Society' in 1865. The majority of his published works were related to meteorology.
wikipedia
When Mendel entered the Faculty of Philosophy, the Department of Natural History and Agriculture was headed by Johann Karl Nestler, who conducted extensive research of hereditary traits of plants and animals, especially sheep. In 1843 Mendel began his training as a priest. Upon recommendation of his physics teacher Friedrich Franz, he entered the Augustinian Abbey of St Thomas in Brno in 1843.
Born Johann Mendel, he took the name Gregor upon entering religious life. In 1851 he was sent to the University of Vienna to study under the sponsorship of Abbot C. F. Napp. At Vienna, his professor of physics was Christian Doppler. Mendel returned to his abbey in 1853 as a teacher, principally of physics, and by 1867, he had replaced Napp as abbot of the monastery.
Besides his work on plant breeding while at St Thomas's Abbey, Mendel also bred bees in a bee house that was built for him, using bee hives that he designed. He also studied astronomy and meteorology, founding the 'Austrian Meteorological Society' in 1865. The majority of his published works were related to meteorology.
wikipedia
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