A Brief Lesson from the History of Botany: Case Study Abstract.
In the scale of history, science is the most recent advancement in human thought. Science is the culmination of reasoning, observation, and exploration. In this comparatively short history of science, botany has grown into its own reputable science. In fact, botanists founded the science of genetics, which has led to some of the most profound discoveries in recent memory. Yet, a common question remains, how did all of this happen in only 500 years? In not so simple terms, repetition is the driving force behind science.
This idea of repetition is a core tenant of the scientific method. Put another way, if science is a game, then each time the game is played, the game should improve. The inverse is also true; if a certain game degenerates over time with each new reiteration, or the game is un-winnable (cannot be replicated). The scientific community can rule out that game. The history of botany illustrates this point about repetition. Leonard C. Bruno wrote a book entitled, Landmarks of Science: From the Library of Congress’s Collections. In the chapter dedicated to the works of foundational botanists, Bruno brilliantly links together the chain of events that lead to not only the creation of botany as a science but landmark discoveries that advanced human understanding of plants and biological processes. The key link made between each of these examples is repetition. The common thread between Mendel, De Vries, Hales, and Ingenhousz is the repetition of experiments.
