DISSECTION OF PLANTS AND ANIMALS

Dissections of plants and animals are expected of students in many of our courses including, but not limited to, Fundamentals of Biology, Anatomy and Physiology, Comparative Anatomy, Marine Invertebrate Biology, Plant Propagation, and General Botany.

Dissections show a complexity in organisms that is invisible to models and computers.  Although these are useful tools in the laboratory, they do not show the complicated relationships that exist among structures in dissection specimens.  It is knowledge of internal anatomy of organisms which informs an understanding of function and physiology.  Furthermore, morphological change during time and space is the cornerstone of an understanding of taxonomic and evolutionary relationships.  The Biology Faculty has a deep respect for all organisms, living and dead.  They are committed to using the minimum number of dissection specimens necessary for high quality instruction.  They understand some students find dissection objectionable for moral/ethical reasons.  In such cases where a student is unable to dissect, they will supply that student with as many alternative experiences as possible.  These alternatives may include models, electronic sources of information, photographs, and demonstration dissections.  In any event, they do hold each student responsible and accountable for mastery of all course materials including dissected material.

The broad judgment among biologists is that dissection is vital to understanding core biological concepts.  Although they embrace that position, they try to accommodate every student who wants to learn biology.