Course: Biology for High School - Part One
The principles of biology; the four causes of nature; human and lower animal physiology; classification; plant structure and physiology
Course description:
This is PART ONE of a two part Catholic biology course.
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This refreshing high school biology course provides the student with a philosophically sound and Traditional Catholic view of life and God's gift of living creation, all based upon the wisdom and guidance of the Catholic Church's greatest theologian, Saint Thomas Aquinas. Topics of reproduction are treated very delicately, with no explicit texts or images.
For convenience and flexibility, the course is divided into two parts:
-- PART ONE of this two-part biology course covers the principles of biology, the four causes of nature (including the soul and the various levels of souls - vegetative, sensitive, and rational); biology must not be godless and materialist; animal powers in general (intelligence, instinct, memory, and sensation); human structure and physiology; the physiology of the lower animals; animal classification; plant structure, physiology, and classification.
-- PART TWO of this two-part biology course covers more advanced topics: ecology, celluar and molecular biology, genetics and heredity, and evolution. The arguments for evolution are proposed and then systematically refuted as a viable explanation of living things.
Note that each part of this course can be easily covered in 36 weeks. Thus the entire book can be covered in two school years (we recommend sophomore and junior years). This is the easier, but longer route. For those parents wishing for a more challenging route, the entire book could be completed in one 36 week schoolyear, but this would require a very disciplined student, working at least one full hour per day, 5 days per week, as well as weekend work.
After completing this course, the student will not only be familiar with the science of biology itself (all the usual topics), but that student also:
-- will see that there is a proper way to approach the lower sciences such as biology; that approach must be always guided by the higher sciences (theology and philosophy);
-- will be able to explain why it is impossible that the complexity and powers we see in nature could be accounted for by material causes (chemicals) alone; a Creator is needed, Who moves the living world through the immaterial cause of the plant or animal soul;
-- will see that the Catholic Faith is compatible with true science.
A Deep Problem with most biology textbooks
Almost every modern biology textbook - including some that are called 'Christian' - follow a typical public school model which is atheistic and materialistic. These books first introduce the student to chemicals (atoms and simple molecules) as the primary cause of life. There is a reason for this. Life, for them, is nothing but a special arrangement of chemicals. Building on this false premise, these books then proceed to show how those simple but very special chemical compounds combine into complicated DNA/RNA. From these, we get simple plants, complex plants, simple animals and complex animals, and of course, the most "evolved" creature, man! The unfortunate student subjected to such books will at best be less shocked by and more comfortable with the godless, evolutionary propaganda all around us. At worst, such an unfortunate student begins to doubt and lose the Catholic Faith; the conclusions of such evil books are not compatible with the Faith or even good philosophy.
A Catholic approach to help our children see clearly
Instead, this Catholic biology course and its textbook follow an entirely different approach - one guided by the wisdom of Aristotle and St. Thomas Aquinas. The book begins with ALL FOUR causes of nature (just just chemicals). Yes, these two great thinkers show that life cannot be accounted for by chemicals alone, and that there needs to be other causes. One of those is the immaterial cause called the soul, and this is more important than the mere material (chemical) causes of life. Even worms and plants have a soul. Some Catholics are at first taken aback by the term 'soul' being applied to lower animals and even plants; and yet, as the above-mentioned great thinkers show, without a soul, there is no life whatsoever. Of course, the human soul is unique in that it is rational, immortal, and directly infused by God.
This Catholic book then proceeds systematically through the science of biology, beginning from what men know best - their common experience of nature. From that common experience, it systematically descends to the lesser known causes, ending with a study of the hard-to-know chemical causes (atoms, molecules, RNA/DNA). After familiarizing the student with all the usual expected biological topics, the book ends with a systematic refutation of evolution as a viable explanation of nature.
Course fee:
$ 150
Course Length (in weeks):
36
Book(s) used:
(Looking to simply purchase our books, without course enrollment? No problem - click here!)
Textbook: Biology for High School - A Traditional Catholic Perspective
$64.95
Author: Pamela Acker, Kellan Loew, Anne Kraft, Dean L
Publisher: Christ the King Books
ISBN: 9781637940006
Publisher's Description:
Please view / download a PDF sample of this book.
This refreshingly Catholic biology book begins with a short and friendly application of the wisdom of St. Thomas Aquinas (the Catholic Church’s greatest theologian) to the science of biology. In contrast to most modern biology texts, which are designed around evolutionary principles and assumptions, this Catholic textbook explains life from the perspective of the observable activities of living things. It takes into account all the causes of life, including God, the soul, and the purpose behind the design of living things.
Guided by this sound framework, the reader is given an up-to-date presentation of human biology, animal physiology, a detailed treatment of the various animal and plant kinds, ecosystems, cellular and molecular biology, genetics and heredity, biotechnology and ethics, and a refutation of evolution as a plausible explanation of the origin and diversity of life.
Sold separately are a laboratory/experiment manual, student exercises, and answer key. Recommended for grades 10 -12. Perfect for homeschoolers, too! 600 pages
Reviews:
“This is far and away the best biology textbook I have ever read. Indeed, there is absolutely no comparison between this textbook and any other science textbook that I have read. I am convinced that it will have a major impact for good on secondary education and university education in biology wherever it is adopted.”
~Hugh Owen, Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation, www.kolbecenter.org
“I would like to commend the authors and colleagues for an outstanding production. In my opinion, any student who absorbs the material in this book will be really well informed on the subject in preparation for higher studies, and for the challenges of life as an educated citizen and Catholic parent. I could see this being the definitive text for Catholic home schoolers and as a back-up and counterbalance at home for biology students subjected to secular courses in public schools.”
~ Anthony Nevard, BSc, PGTC, DipSpLD (OCR); Previously Head of Biology, St Columba’s College; Editor, “Daylight Origins” magazine
Nothing is more important in education than coherence. It is absurd to teach in religion classes that the heavens and the earth (“and all that they contain” [Ex 20, 11]) were created by an all-powerful Intelligence, that all living beings – including Man – were specially designed so as to play a definite role in the magnificent harmony of the cosmos, and then, in the science curricula, to teach that the world results from undirected collisions of blind particles and from the mechanical issue of desperate fights for survival. “Biology: A Catholic Perspective” shows that the phenomena of life are easily understood within the true Christian worldview, which was precisely the one that gave birth to western science. All of us are indebted to the authors for having undertaken and accomplished such an essential task.
~ Dr. Dominique Tassot, Ph.D., Philosophy; Director, Center for Studies and Perspectives on Science
In every way this is a unique modern biology text book. At last we have a comprehensive treatment of the science of biology which gives full credit to the First Author – Almighty God Himself, through the lens of true Catholic philosophy! From the fresh and intricately illustrated front cover to the final chapters covering a clear and sound refutation of evolution, the book takes the student on a fascinating journey.
Beginning with direct observation of the biological world, progressing to the treatment of the God-given life force (soul) activating all living creatures and the Catholic philosophy behind a God-centered view of creation, the text provides the student with a well-rounded and in-depth resource for studying and understanding life in all its forms.
One of the most complex and difficult to understand biological subjects – genetics – the authors cover very comprehensively with clear diagrams and explanations. Ecological and microbiological topics are also treated in depth with many useful examples, clearly explained and colorfully illustrated. In general the book presents its topics with a very pleasing thoroughness. Each topic is described in easily understandable language which makes the information very accessible to students.
I thoroughly recommend this book as a worthy example of a biology text in its own right. It stands out clearly from all other such texts I have seen, however, by its unique presentation which places God rightly at the centre of all life on earth.
~ Michael Surrey, B.Sc. P.G.Dip.Sci. (zoology, microbiology, biotechnology) Pukekohe, New Zealand
ISBN: 9781637940037
“When I read this, I wished I'd had a good Biology text like this when I was in high school! The authors' friendly approach reflects their understanding of their readers. ”
Sue P., Racine, Wisconsin
“I would like to commend the authors and colleagues for an outstanding production. In my opinion, any student who absorbs the material in this book will be really well informed on the subject in preparation for higher studies, and for the challenges of life as an educated citizen and Catholic parent. I could see this being the definitive text for Catholic home schoolers and as a back-up and counterbalance at home for biology students subjected to secular courses in public schools.”
Anthony Nevard, BSc, PGTC, DipSpLD (OCR); Previously Head of Biology, St Columba’s College; Editor, Daylight Origins magazine
“Nothing is more important in education than coherence. It is absurd to teach in religion classes that the heavens and the earth (« and all that they contain » [Ex 20, 11]) were created by an all-powerful Intelligence, that all living beings – including Man – were specially designed so as to play a definite role in the magnificent harmony of the cosmos, and then, in the science curricula, to teach that the world results from undirected collisions of blind particles and from the mechanical issue of desperate fights for survival. "Biology: A Catholic Perspective" shows that the phenomena of life are easily understood within the true Christian worldview, which was precisely the one that gave birth to western science. All of us are indebted to the authors for having undertaken and accomplished such an essential task.”
Dr. Dominique Tassot, Ph.D., Philosophy; Director, Center for Studies and Prospectives on Science
Download Sample PDF
Exercise Manual: Biology for High School – PART ONE - STUDENT EXERCISES
$14.48
(Looking to simply purchase our books, without course enrollment? No problem - click here!)
“This is far and away the best biology textbook I have ever read. Indeed, there is absolutely no comparison between this textbook and any other science textbook that I have read. I am convinced that it will have a major impact for good on secondary education and university education in biology wherever it is adopted.”
Hugh Owen, Kolbe Center for the Study of Creation, www.kolbecenter.org