Amongst domestic animals Lamarck cites the case of the dog, that has
come from a wild form like the wolf, but having been carried into
different countries has acquired different and new habits, and this has
led to the formation of new races, such as the bulldog, greyhound,
pug-dog, spaniel, etc.
Lamarck’s argument shifts so often back and forth from animals to
plants, that it is clear that in his own mind he did not see any
important difference between the action of the environment on plants,
and the use of the organs of the animal. He gives in this same
connection his oft-quoted summary of what he calls the two laws of
nature “which observation always establishes.”
First Law. In every animal, that has not passed beyond the term of its
development, the frequent and sustained use of any organ strengthens it,
develops it, increases its size, and gives it strength proportionate to
the length of time of its employment. On the other hand, the continued
lack of use of the same organ sensibly weakens it; it deteriorates, and
its faculties diminish progressively until at last it disappears.
Second Law. Nature preserves everything that she has caused the
individual to acquire or to lose by the influence of the circumstances
to which the race has been for a long time exposed, and consequently by
the influence of the predominant use of certain organs (or in
consequence of its continued disuse). She does this by the generation of
new individuals which are produced with the newly acquired organs. This
occurs, provided that the acquired changes were common to the two sexes,
or to the individuals that produced the new forms.
These laws are, Lamarck says, fundamental truths which cannot be
misunderstood except by those who have never observed or followed nature
in her operations. He insists that it is a mistake to suppose that the
parts are responsible for the functions, for it is easy to demonstrate
that it is the needs and uses of the organs that have caused the parts
to develop.
If it is supposed, he continues, that these laws are hypothetical, they
may be demonstrated by the following facts: The adult baleen whale is
without teeth, although in the fœtus teeth are present, concealed in the
jaws. The loss of the teeth is the result of the whale swallowing its
food without first masticating it. The ant-eater is also without teeth,
and has also the habit of swallowing its food without chewing it. The
mole has very small eyes, and this is the result of its having made very
little use of them, since its habits are subterranean. Another animal,
the aspalax, has only the rudiments of eyes, and has almost completely
lost the power of sight. This animal also lives underground like the
mole.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account