neo-Lamarckism

biology

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July 1, 2026

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Neo-Lamarckism is a modern theory of evolution that builds upon Jean-Baptiste Lamarck's original ideas. It retains the core concept that acquired characteristics, developed during an organism's lifetime, can be inherited by offspring.12

This theory suggests that evolution can result from natural selection acting on these acquired traits. It also posits that evolutionary change is a direct product of the interaction between an organism and its environment. For example, if an animal develops a trait through use or disuse of a body part in response to environmental changes, neo-Lamarckism proposes this trait could be passed down. However, modern genetics and evolutionary theory generally controvert the idea that acquired characteristics are inheritable.134

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evolution
The Darwinian aftermath
…alternative evolutionary theory known as neo-Lamarckism. This hypothesis shared with Lamarck’s the importance of use and disuse in the development and obliteration of organs, and it added the notion that the environment acts directly on organic structures, which explained their adaptation to the way of life and environment of the…
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…alternative evolutionary theory known as neo-Lamarckism. This hypothesis shared with Lamarck’s the importance of use and disuse in the development and obliteration of organs, and it added the notion that the environment acts directly on organic structures, which explained their adaptation to the way of life and environment of the…
Read More