At the Deathbed of Darwinism: A Series of PapersDennert, Eberhard
Philosophy
At the Deathbed of Darwinism: A Series of Papers
Dennert, Eberhard
Evolution; Natural selection
Eimer attributes the origin of species to "organic growth" by which he
means not merely increase in size, but also change of form, etc. This
growth does not proceed blindly or aimlessly, but proceeds on rigidly
determined lines, which depend upon the structure and constitution of
the particular organism. External influences, however, also affect it.
Eimer specially emphasizes four points in this connection: 1. This
rigidly determined development of a character exhibits well defined,
regular stages, and the evolution of each individual repeats the whole
series of transformations (the Mueller-Haeckel "biogenetic-law.") 2.
New characters are first acquired by strong adult males (the law of
male dominance). 3. New characters appear on definite parts of the
body, spreading especially from the rear to the front, (the law of
undulation). 4. Varieties are stages in the process of development,
through which all the individuals of the respective species must pass.
These points indicate how important for Eimer is the transmission of
those characters which the parents themselves have acquired in the
course of their own development. He conceives that this transmission
takes place when the causative influences exert themselves permanently
on many succeeding generations. Eimer thinks that in this way the
constitution of the respective species is gradually transformed.
Besides the effect of external influences (which may vary according to
the climate, etc.: Geoffroy St. Hilaire), Eimer mentions as important
and active factors in this development, (1). The use and disuse of
organs (Lamarck); (2). The struggle for existence (Darwin); (3). The
correlation of organs, that is, the inner relation of organs in
consequence of which a change in one organ may occasion a sudden change
in another organ; (4). Cross fertilization and hybridism.
It is clear that with reference to the factors of evolution Eimer is,
and perhaps not unreasonably, an eclectic, whose aim is to do justice
to the predecessors of Darwin as well as to Darwin himself. His
antagonism to Darwin and Weismann in this work is still quite moderate,
although even here it appears with sufficient clearness that selection
and the struggle for existence, the two principles peculiarly
characteristic of Darwinism, do not give rise to new species, but can
at best only separate and differentiate species already existing.
The second part of Eimer's work dealing with the origin of species,
which appeared after an interval of ten years, bears the title:
"Orthogenesis of Butterflies." The Origin of Species, II. Part (2
tables and 235 illustrations in the text). Leipzig, 1897. In this book
substantially the same thoughts occupy the mind of the author as in the
former volume, but in many respects they are more mature, and
conspicuously more definite and precise. The most salient features are
the following:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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