Provides a history of one of the most powerful and influential scientific concepts?the gene. Genetics is one of the most powerful scientific fields today. It is transforming how we view medicine and public health, and is producing tremendous new discoveries in biotechnology. Advances in genetics also provoke extensive ethical debates over cloning, genetic counseling, stem cell research, and privacy. But to understand these debates, it's essential to understand where these ideas came from - the ideas of the past have had tremendous influence on not just the science of genetics, but on the political and ethical debates surrounding the field. This volume in the Greenwood Guides to Great Ideas in Science series provides an accessible and thorough description of the history of genetics, and includes relevant historical ideas from the Classical era to the present day. The Gene: A Historical Perspective provides an overview of the field of genetics, with contemporary examples of its scientific, social and economic importance, and an emphasis on the historical development of the concept of the gene. The book includes a glossary of terms, a timeline of events, and a bibliography of accessible resources for students who wish to learn more about the gene.

List of Illustrations vii Series Foreword ix Preface xi Introduction xiii Ancient and Medieval Inheritance 1 Renaissance and Enlightenment Views of Inheritance 15 Heredity in the Nineteenth Century 27 Gregor Mendel and the Concept of the Gene 43 The Gene and Unifying Biology 57 Molecular Biology and the Gene 73 The Switch to DNA 83 Manipulating DNA 95 The Human Genome Project 111 Genetics Today 133 The Gene and Ethical Issues 145 Timeline 155 Glossary 163 Bibliography 175 Index 183