We explain what Lamarck's theory is about the evolution of living beings, their mistakes and successes. Also, who was Jean-Baptiste Lamarck.
What is Lamarck's Theory?
Lamarckism or Lamarck Theory is called the scientific theory about the evolution of the species, proposed by the French naturalist Jean-Baptiste Lamarck in his book Zoological philosophy 1809. This is the first evolutionary theory of the history, fundamental predecessor of the one later proposed by Charles Darwin in 1859.
In his work, Lamarck noted that the species of living beings They were not immutable, nor did they seem to have been created spontaneously, as was claimed at the time, but they had probably evolved "by trial and error" from forms of life much simpler.
To explain this transformation, he proposed the existence of a mechanism (that today the biology considered impossible), and that it assumed the ability of living beings to transfer to their heirs the characteristics acquired by adapting to new environments.
Let us remember that at that time the existence and functioning of the genes. Nor was the principle of Weismann's Barrier known, which establishes that the Genetic information goes from genes to cells and not the other way around, that is, living beings cannot edit their genetic code.
And as a result of this last principle, Lamarckism was considered wrong and was discarded at the beginning of the 20th century. Later, however, it was recovered and reevaluated by new scientific currents that aspire to demonstrate that its principles were correct.
Lamarck's Theory became known as "Transformism." He relied mainly on the existence verifiable of Extinct species in the geological stratum, whose structural similarities with contemporary life forms were striking.
Importance of Lamarck's Theory
Lamarck's theories emerged in an extremely hostile context, when evolutionary precepts were just looming as a consequence of the application of the scientific method. In that sense, they were even more revolutionary than those of Darwin himself, who drew on the works of Erasmus and Lamarck himself.
In fact, in Lamarck's day natural Sciences they were content with the description of the living beings. The appearance of his Zoological philosophy it marked a turning point that resulted in the emergence of modern biology.
Biography of Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
Jean-Baptiste Pierre Antoine de Monet Chevalier de Lamarck was born in Bazentin, France, on August 1, 1744, into a noble family of military descent. Had a education Jesuit and began in the military arts, participating in the Battle of Villinghausen in the Seven Years' War.
However, her true calling was science, so he was trained in medicine, discipline that he did not exercise. In addition, he was part of the Garden des plantes until 1793, when it became a Museum of Natural History on his own idea.
Since then he has been a professor and has published various studies on flora, fauna, the meteorology, the hydrology. His magnum opus, the Zoological philosophy, was published in 1809.
Unfortunately Lamarck was blind in 1819, so his last works were written through the dictation of his daughters. The last part of his life was lived in ignorance and disgrace, until his death in 1829.