LifeWatchGreece research results taught to the Honors Class of the University of Maine at Farmington (UMF); Skype lecture by Dr. Christos Arvanitidis on October the 18th 2018 (12:15 local time)

Site: University of Maine at Farmington Honors Course, Fall 2018

Course Title:
Marine Biology from an Ancient Greek Perspective (HON 180N)

Course Designer and Teacher:
Nancy Prentiss, UMF

Course Description:
Students study marine biology through various elements of the ancient Greek civilization. How did science get started, who were the major players and how did they explain the natural world? Students read the works of Aristotle, Anaximander, Thales and others to understand how the Greeks developed science as "a way of knowing" (instead of through mythology and magic). This interdisciplinary course also investigates the influence of marine organisms depicted in the “ancient” arts and artifacts (frescos, pottery, literature, coins, etc.). Engaging in traditional biology labs, students learn about the form and function of marine organisms while making comparisons to similar species described by Aristotle. Weekend field trips to the coast and to Boston (Museum of Fine Arts and New England Aquarium) augment the experiential learning through the visualization of Ancient Greek art and living marine organisms.

Event:      
Students in the class discussed with Dr. Christos Arvanitidis, the concepts and the research work done and included in a relevant paper on which Arvanitidis was a co-author:

Voultsiadou E, Gerovasileiou V, Vandepitte L, Ganias, K and Arvanitidis, C
Aristotle’s scientific contributions to the classification, nomenclature and distribution of marine organisms. Mediterranean Marine Science. 18(3) 468-478
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12681/mms.13874