Lamarck's theory stated that organisms became more complex over time due to an innate ability. He believed this ability was driven by organisms interacting with their environment. His theory also advocated for a "goal" of complexity for every organism. His idea that acquired characteristics, such as culture, could be passed down from generation to generation was later disproved by scientists.
- If the environment changes, the traits that are helpful or adaptive to that environment will be different.
Lamarck was the first naturalist to propose the idea that animals adapted to their environment. He believed that animals developed traits over time that better suited their environment. Such as, a giraffe with a long neck, developed a long neck in order to be able to reach leaves on top of trees. This gave giraffes an advantage over other animals that could not reach food high atop trees.
Darwin's work drew upon this, as he also proposed a theory of natural selection. Natural selection can be described as traits that are favorable to an individual that allow them to survive and even thrive in their type of environment. Darwin's theory proved to be correct through extensive research. However, Lamarck's idea that an animal, such as a giraffe, could pressure it's genetic make up to change in order to reach the leaves and then pass this useful trait down to their offspring was disproved. Darwin also wrongly believed that changes acquired through a lifetime could be passed down from each generation.
I believe Darwin's ideas on the theory of natural selection could have been developed without the influence of Lamarck, because Darwin directly observed different species and extensively studied each idea with individual animals. He used a system of trial and error and scientific method to reach his own conclusions.
Darwin's book On The Origin of Species was not published until twenty years after its inception due to Darwin's fear of being persecuted by the Catholic Church. Darwin did not want to upset clergymen nor the general public by implying that humans were just another animal with no divinity.
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Hi Fabiola, I think overall you provided a great argument. You choose a good example to support your post. I agree with you Darwin choose a better method in providing evidence for his theory and would have been developed without Lamarck's influence.
ReplyDeleteYou are on the right track in the first paragraph. You are correct that he argued for the transmission of acquired characteristics, meaning that organisms could develop traits throughout their lifetime and pass them onto offspring. He was speaking purely of biological traits, however. He wasn't referring to cultural traits.
ReplyDeleteGood choice on the bullet point and you did well to highlight the differences, but the key difference was with regard to the transmission of traits acquired during an organism's lifetime. Darwin's theory did NOT suggest this. He suggested that natural heritable variation existed in a population and those best suited to the environment would produce more offspring, spreading their preferred traits.
Good final section. Was Darwin only concerned for himself? What might have been the results of this persecution? How might it have impacted him?