Wuketits F M
Institut für Wissenschaftstheorie, Universität, Wien, Austria.
Naturwissenschaften. 1997 Nov;84(11):473-9. doi: 10.1007/s001140050431.
During the past 40 years or so genetics and molecular biology have played a major role in the study of living systems. There is some substance to the belief of many biologists that the molecular approach supplies us with the key to an understanding of life. At the same time other biological disciplines have been unfairly neglected. More recently, however, alarmed by the loss of species around the world, many researchers have turned to ecological problems and rediscovered the importance of systematics and taxonomy. It has become apparent that the number of still unknown species is enormous, and the very dimensions of biodiversity are a great challenge to biologists. Moreover, the preservation of species has become an important task for ethical as well as economic reasons. In this contribution biodiversity research is discussed as an essential interdisciplinary enterprise of contemporary biology which compels us to critically reconsider and reflect the status of the science of life and its anthropological and ethical implications. It is also argued that recognizing biodiversity gives a fresh impetus to biology teaching.
在过去约40年里，遗传学和分子生物学在生命系统研究中发挥了重要作用。许多生物学家认为分子方法为我们理解生命提供了关键，这种观点有一定道理。与此同时，其他生物学学科却受到了不公平的忽视。然而，最近，由于对全球物种灭绝的担忧，许多研究人员转向了生态问题，并重新发现了系统学和分类学的重要性。很明显，仍未被发现的物种数量巨大，生物多样性的规模本身就是对生物学家的巨大挑战。此外，出于伦理和经济原因，物种保护已成为一项重要任务。在本文中，生物多样性研究被视为当代生物学一项至关重要的跨学科事业，它迫使我们批判性地重新审视和思考生命科学的现状及其人类学和伦理意义。同时也有人认为，认识生物多样性为生物学教学注入了新的活力。
