Lamarck's Evolution

Lamarck's Evolution PDF Author: Ross Honeywill
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 1742660770
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 208

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Book Description
The fascinating story of two men, 200 years apart, who risked ridicule and ruin for the ideas they believed in. In 18th-century France Jean Baptiste de Lamarck ignored scientific tradition and developed the first theory of evolution. But 50 years later Charles Darwin published his own work and Lamarck became a laughing stock. Contemporary academic Ted Steele was similarly mocked and nearly ruined for supporting Lamarck's idea that inherited characteristics could be passed on. Now cutting edge discoveries have vindicated him at last. Their story is a rollercoaster ride of intelligence, stubborn vision, despair and vindication.

Lamarck's Evolution

Lamarck's Evolution PDF Author: Ross Honeywill
Publisher: Allen & Unwin
ISBN: 1742660770
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 208

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Book Description
The fascinating story of two men, 200 years apart, who risked ridicule and ruin for the ideas they believed in. In 18th-century France Jean Baptiste de Lamarck ignored scientific tradition and developed the first theory of evolution. But 50 years later Charles Darwin published his own work and Lamarck became a laughing stock. Contemporary academic Ted Steele was similarly mocked and nearly ruined for supporting Lamarck's idea that inherited characteristics could be passed on. Now cutting edge discoveries have vindicated him at last. Their story is a rollercoaster ride of intelligence, stubborn vision, despair and vindication.

Lamarck, the Founder of Evolution

Lamarck, the Founder of Evolution PDF Author: Alpheus Spring Packard
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Biology
Languages : en
Pages : 500

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Book Description


Lamarck's Revenge

Lamarck's Revenge PDF Author: Peter Ward
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing USA
ISBN: 163286617X
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 312

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Book Description
A riveting explanation of epigenetics, offering startling insights into our inheritable traits. In the 1700s, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck first described epigenetics to explain the inheritance of acquired characteristics; however, his theory was supplanted in the 1800s by Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection through heritable genetic mutations. But natural selection could not adequately explain how rapidly species re-diversified and repopulated after mass extinctions. Now advances in the study of DNA and RNA have resurrected epigenetics, which can create radical physical and physiological changes in subsequent generations by the simple addition of a single small molecule, thus passing along a propensity for molecules to attach in the same places in the next generation. Epigenetics is a complex process, but paleontologist and astrobiologist Peter Ward breaks it down for general readers, using the epigenetic paradigm to reexamine how the history of our species-from deep time to the outbreak of the Black Plague and into the present-has left its mark on our physiology, behavior, and intelligence. Most alarming are chapters about epigenetic changes we are undergoing now triggered by toxins, environmental pollutants, famine, poor nutrition, and overexposure to violence. Lamarck's Revenge is an eye-opening and provocative exploration of how traits are inherited, and how outside influences drive what we pass along to our progeny.

Transformations of Lamarckism

Transformations of Lamarckism PDF Author: Snait B. Gissis
Publisher: MIT Press
ISBN: 0262294737
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 474

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Book Description
A reappraisal of Lamarckism—its historical impact and contemporary significance. In 1809—the year of Charles Darwin's birth—Jean-Baptiste Lamarck published Philosophie zoologique, the first comprehensive and systematic theory of biological evolution. The Lamarckian approach emphasizes the generation of developmental variations; Darwinism stresses selection. Lamarck's ideas were eventually eclipsed by Darwinian concepts, especially after the emergence of the Modern Synthesis in the twentieth century. The different approaches—which can be seen as complementary rather than mutually exclusive—have important implications for the kinds of questions biologists ask and for the type of research they conduct. Lamarckism has been evolving—or, in Lamarckian terminology, transforming—since Philosophie zoologique's description of biological processes mediated by "subtle fluids." Essays in this book focus on new developments in biology that make Lamarck's ideas relevant not only to modern empirical and theoretical research but also to problems in the philosophy of biology. Contributors discuss the historical transformations of Lamarckism from the 1820s to the 1940s, and the different understandings of Lamarck and Lamarckism; the Modern Synthesis and its emphasis on Mendelian genetics; theoretical and experimental research on such "Lamarckian" topics as plasticity, soft (epigenetic) inheritance, and individuality; and the importance of a developmental approach to evolution in the philosophy of biology. The book shows the advantages of a "Lamarckian" perspective on evolution. Indeed, the development-oriented approach it presents is becoming central to current evolutionary studies—as can be seen in the burgeoning field of Evo-Devo. Transformations of Lamarckism makes a unique contribution to this research.

Lamarck's Signature

Lamarck's Signature PDF Author: Edward J. Steele
Publisher: Basic Books
ISBN: 9780738201719
Category : Science
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
This controversial book challenges the accepted theories on the genetic mechanism of evolution. The story these three biologists have to tell may very well upset the whole field of biology.The traditional view of evolution—which grew out of the work of Gregor Mendel and Charles Darwin and is strongly supported by present-day scientists like Richard Dawkins and Stephen Jay Gould—assumes we are at the mercy of our genes, which we inherit largely unchanged from our parents, except for rare random mutations which accumulated and lead to change over evolutionary time. Those genes are coded in the chromosomes of the sperm and egg cells of the parents, and so only changes to those two types of cell have any chance of being passed down to the parents'' offspring. Any changes, accidents, or surgery to the rest of the parent's bodies are not transmitted to the newborn.The theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics—if you build up your muscles your kids will be born with a propensity toward great strength—on the other hand, favored by Jean Lamarck in the nineteenth-century, was brought down by nineteenth-century science. But now, as this challenging and thrilling book shows, it looks as though, at least for certain structures in the body's immune system, Lamarck may have been right after all.Based on their own ground-breaking work over the past two decades, as well as that of other molecular biologists, Steele, Lindley, and Blanden argue that for one adaptive body system there is strong molecular genetic evidence that aspects of acquired immunities developed by parents in their own lifetime can be passed on to their offspring. Certain to stimulate lively debate, Lamarck's Signature gives new life and scientific credibility to the Lamarckian heresy—the notion of the inheritance of acquired characteristics.

Epigenetic Inheritance and Evolution

Epigenetic Inheritance and Evolution PDF Author: Eva Jablonka
Publisher: Oxford University Press, USA
ISBN: 9780198540625
Category : Language Arts & Disciplines
Languages : en
Pages : 364

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Book Description
Does the inheritance of acquired characteristics play a significant role in evolution? In this book, Eva Jablonka and Marion J. Lamb attempt to answer that question with an original, provocative exploration of the nature and origin of hereditary variations. Starting with a historical account of Lamarck's ideas and the reasons they have fallen in disrepute, the authors go on to challenge the prevailing assumption that all heritable variation is random and the result of variation in DNA base sequences. They also detail recent breakthroughs in our understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying inheritance--including several pathways not envisioned by classical population genetics--and argue that these advances need to be more fully incorporated into mainstream evolutionary theory. Throughout, the book offers a new look at the evidence for and against the hereditability of environmentally induced changes, and addresses timely questions about the importance of non-Mendelian inheritance. A glossary and extensive list of references round out the book. Urging a reconsideration of the present DNA-centric view prevalent in the field, Epigentic Inheritance and Evolution will make fascinating and important reading for students and researchers in evolution, genetics, ecology, molecular biology, developmental biology, and the history and philosophy of science.

The Spirit of System

The Spirit of System PDF Author: Richard Wellington Burkhardt
Publisher: Harvard University Press
ISBN: 9780674833180
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 342

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Book Description
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck was a biological Janus, at once a highly competent taxonomist in a traditional mold and a bold, almost visionary, philosopher of nature who aspired to contrive an all-embracing "physics of the earth" by sheer force of intellect. Lamarck is generally remembered only for his ideas about the inheritance of acquired characters, ideas he did not originate or take special credit for, ideas that were only one part of his broad theory of evolution. In this, the first modern book-length study of Lamarck, Richard Burkhardt examines the origin and development of Lamarck's theory of organic evolution, the major theory prior to Darwin.

Lamarck, the Founder of Evolution

Lamarck, the Founder of Evolution PDF Author: Alpheus Spring Packard
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781835915714
Category : History
Languages : en
Pages : 0

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Book Description
"Lamarck, the Founder of Evolution" is a biographical work written by Alpheus Spring Packard, an American naturalist and evolutionary biologist. Published in 1901, the book aims to shed light on the life and scientific contributions of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck, a French biologist who is often considered one of the pioneers of evolutionary theory. In the book, Packard delves into Lamarck's early life, education, and career as a naturalist in 18th and early 19th century France. He explores Lamarck's groundbreaking ideas about the transmutation of species, which laid the groundwork for later evolutionary theories, including Charles Darwin's theory of natural selection. One of the central themes of the book is Lamarck's theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics, also known as Lamarckism. Lamarck proposed that organisms can pass on traits acquired during their lifetime to their offspring, thereby driving evolutionary change. Packard examines the historical context in which Lamarck developed his ideas and the scientific controversies surrounding his work. Furthermore, Packard discusses Lamarck's contributions to other areas of biology, including his work on invertebrate zoology and taxonomy. He highlights Lamarck's meticulous observations and classification of organisms, which laid the foundation for modern biological classification systems. Throughout the book, Packard offers a balanced assessment of Lamarck's legacy, acknowledging his pioneering contributions to evolutionary theory while also addressing the criticisms and challenges his ideas faced from contemporaries and later scientists. "Lamarck, the Founder of Evolution" provides readers with a comprehensive understanding of Lamarck's life and work, placing him in the context of the broader scientific and intellectual currents of his time. It remains a valuable resource for scholars and enthusiasts interested in the history of evolutionary thought and the development of modern biology.

Lamarck, the Founder of Evolution

Lamarck, the Founder of Evolution PDF Author: Alpheus Spring Packard
Publisher:
ISBN:
Category : Evolution
Languages : en
Pages : 498

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Book Description


Darwin and the Emergence of Evolutionary Theories of Mind and Behavior

Darwin and the Emergence of Evolutionary Theories of Mind and Behavior PDF Author: Robert J. Richards
Publisher: University of Chicago Press
ISBN: 0226712001
Category : Psychology
Languages : en
Pages : 719

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Book Description
With insight and wit, Robert J. Richards focuses on the development of evolutionary theories of mind and behavior from their first distinct appearance in the eighteenth century to their controversial state today. Particularly important in the nineteenth century were Charles Darwin's ideas about instinct, reason, and morality, which Richards considers against the background of Darwin's personality, training, scientific and cultural concerns, and intellectual community. Many critics have argued that the Darwinian revolution stripped nature of moral purpose and ethically neutered the human animal. Richards contends, however, that Darwin, Herbert Spencer, and their disciples attempted to reanimate moral life, believing that the evolutionary process gave heart to unselfish, altruistic behavior. "Richards's book is now the obvious introduction to the history of ideas about mind and behavior in the nineteenth century."—Mark Ridley, Times Literary Supplement "Not since the publication of Michael Ghiselin's The Triumph of the Darwinian Method has there been such an ambitious, challenging, and methodologically self-conscious interpretation of the rise and development and evolutionary theories and Darwin's role therein."—John C. Greene, Science "His book . . . triumphantly achieves the goal of all great scholarship: it not only informs us, but shows us why becoming thus informed is essential to understanding our own issues and projects."—Daniel C. Dennett, Philosophy of Science