296 word count During the 19th century, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Georges Cuvier, two renowned biologists, put forth extraordinary concepts regarding species evolution and the intricate history of life on Earth. These ideas formed the foundation for Charles Darwin's later theory of evolution through natural selection. Neo-Lamarckism, the notion that environmental changes could directly induce inheritable characteristics, can be seen as a theory ahead of its time ((Morange, p. 198). Historical evidence indeed suggests instances where species have been influenced by environmental shifts. However, it's important to recognize that the experiments conducted during the time when neo-Lamarckism was popular might not have had the advanced methods and tools needed to produce the expected conclusive results. This limitation in experimental capabilities underscores the challenge of substantiating complex theories, even when they align with modern scientific insights. I believe science has since evolved and todays technologies could father support neo-Lamarckism. 1.
If gemmules were capable of being both active and dormant, as Darwin proposed, then why did Francis Galton's experiments with rabbit blood transfusions seem to disprove Darwin's theory? (Morange, p.183) Could these experiments provide insights into the role of gemmules in inheritance, even if they didn't align with Darwin's initial ideas? 2.
In his ideas on evolution and embryonic development, Edward Cope discussed the transmission of "intelligence and consciousness" across generations (Morange, p.193) What were his proposed mechanisms for this transmission? 3.
During the early 20th century, although evolution was increasingly embraced, there was a heated debate regarding the significance of natural selection as the foremost catalyst for evolutionary processes. This is perplexing, as evolution and natural selection are often regarded as closely intertwined ideas. Why did this debate emerge, and what were the
