Reflecting on the history of paleontology, historian Martin Rudwick claimed, "The `meaning' of fossils has been seen in many different ways in different periods." This insight rings true today as the search for ancient DNA has provided a deeper meaning of the term fossil and offered paleontology a more expansive role in the molecular age. In this work, I provide a historical account of ancient DNA research from 1984 to1999 and discuss the implications of ancient DNA research as a new approach to fossil studies for the science of paleontology. The emergence of ancient DNA research over the past several decades has introduced a fresh and quantitative methodology for studying fossils and a new means through which to discover and decipher our evolutionary past. Ancient DNA research has revolutionized how scientists view and study ancient and fossil specimens. In doing so, the search for ancient DNA has transformed what was once a purely historical approach to fossil studies into a more experimental one. In this thesis, I argue that the early history of ancient DNA research, when appropriately situated in the overall history of paleontology, is best understood as an extension and realization of the modern evolutionary synthesis and a step toward bridging the gap between historical and experimental science. / A Thesis submitted to the Program in History and Philosophy of Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Arts. / Summer Semester, 2012. / March 26, 2012. / ANCIENT DNA, FOSSILS, HISTORICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL SCIENCE, MODERN EVOLUTIONARY SYNTHESIS, MOLECULAR BIOLOGY, PALEONTOLOGY / Includes bibliographical references. / Frederick Davis, Professor Directing Thesis; Michael Ruse, Committee Member; Gregory Erickson, Committee Member; Scott Steppan, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_182834 |
| Contributors | Dobson, Elizabeth (authoraut), Davis, Frederick (professor directing thesis), Ruse, Michael (committee member), Erickson, Gregory (committee member), Steppan, Scott (committee member), Program in History and Philosophy of Science (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
| Rights | This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s). The copyright in theses and dissertations completed at Florida State University is held by the students who author them. |
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