How We Get Mendel Wrong, and Why It Matters - Challenging the Narrative of Mendelian Genetics

This book illustrates that the stereotypical representations of Gregor Mendel and his work misrepresent his findings and their historical context. The author sets the historical record straight and provides scientists with a reference guide to the respective scholarship in the early history of genetics.

List of contents

Preface: “Gregor Mendel, the first geneticist”. Part I Anachronistic Mendelism. Chapter 1 Mendel was not a geneticist ahead of his time. Chapter 2 Mendel was a brilliant experimentalist of his time. Chapter 3 Speculating about heredity. Chapter 4 The path to genetics. Chapter 5 The reification of the “lonely genius”. Part II Social Mendelism. Chapter 6 Mendel’s great defender. Chapter 7 Chromosomes, “factors” and genes. Chapter 8 “Mendelian” eugenics. Chapter 9 Geneticists’ attitudes towards “Mendelian” eugenics. Chapter 10 Mendelian genetics and the Nazi racial hygiene. Conclusions: Emending the teaching of school genetics.

About the author

Kostas Kampourakis is the author and editor of several books about evolution, genetics, philosophy, and history of science. He teaches biology and science education courses at the University of Geneva. He is the co-editor of Teaching Biology in Schools and What is Scientific Knowledge, both published by Routledge.

Summary

This book illustrates that the stereotypical representations of Gregor Mendel and his work misrepresent his findings and their historical context. The author sets the historical record straight and provides scientists with a reference guide to the respective scholarship in the early history of genetics.

Product details

• Authors: Kostas Kampourakis, Kostas (University of Geneva Kampourakis, Kampourakis Kostas
• Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd.
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 07.02.2024
• EAN: 9781032456911
• ISBN: 978-1-0-3245691-1
• No. of pages: 226
• Subjects: Natural sciences, medicine, IT, technology > Biology > Genetics, genetic engineering; SCIENCE / Life Sciences / General, SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Botany, SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Evolution, SCIENCE / Life Sciences / Genetics & Genomics, Botany & plant sciences, Genetics (non-medical), Botany and plant sciences, genetics;Mendelian genetics;Gregor Mendel