Pre-Darwinian Theories

Before learning about the pre-Darwinian theories, consider what prehistoric archaeology is. It is the study of humans’ past before the historical records began. To make it more transparent, prehistoric archaeology is the study of the history of the group of gatherers, collectors, human hunters that have taken place before the permanent settlements. So, it provides a brief look at the pre-urban societies of the world. The archaeologists’ biologists’ studies and research help the readers learn the concepts, ideas, and facts about the evolution process and theories like pre-Darwinian theories of evolution.

What do pre-Darwinian theories tell?

The growth and development were explained on different grounds by several biologists such that the generations after that could read and understand their evolution process. But even before this, Jean-Baptiste Lamarck came up with his view based on the pre-Darwinian theories of evolution, which differed from Charles Darwin’s. His theory of the transmutation of species was considered the first fully formed theory of evolution. But later on, his concept was overruled by Darwin’s theory of evolution, known as natural selection.

Before the study of the evolution process explained by Darwin, in the middle age period, Jean- Baptiste Lamarck came up with a comprehensive system to explain the changes in the species with different points. His was based on pre-Darwinian evolutionary thinking. His theory was a contrast to the theory of Darwin as his ideas were on a principle of the physical changes that take place in an organism during its lifetime. So, the pre-Darwinian theories by Lamarck are considered to be one of the critical theories of evolution. But Lamarckism is not the only pre-Darwinian concept, but several other images by other researchers such as Carolus Linnaeus, Charles Lyell, George Cuvier contribute to this theory.

Concept of Lamarckism

The concept of Lamarckism, or one of the pre-Darwinian theories, was mainly based on the four propositions:

1. Changes through use and disuse
2. Organisms are driven to greater complexity
3. Inheritance of acquired characters
4. Effect of environment and new needs

Key Points On Lamarckism

• Changes through use and disuse:

It states that the organs that are frequently utilised usually develop as an outcome of the environmental need, and the less desirable ones get lost in the succeeding generations. Like, if you take an example of a tadpole, you will understand this better as the tails of the tadpoles gradually and eventually diminish as soon as they reach the adult stage of life as the state of not being used or disused. And so, he believed that the creatures change the structure and the function of the older one due to the use and disuse.

• Organisms are driven to greater complexity:

 In this, Lamarck proposed that as soon as the biological organism adjusted to the environment and its surroundings, nature also drove and pushed them up from their simpler forms to that of the complex ones. He had a belief that microscopic organisms had appeared in the spontaneous generation of life. And so, these ultimate and the goal-oriented pre darwinian theories of evolution were brought in Lamarck.

• Inheritance of acquired changes:

Yes, it is a fact that every individual acquires specific characteristics during their lifetime, and thus it is passed generation after generation. The children then inherit these characteristics from their parents. Like a basketball player with a tall height will inherit a similar size to their child.

• Effect of environment and new needs: 

Since the changes in the environment are somehow directly proportional to the needs and changes in the organisms, this eventually gives rise to the new requirements and thus produces and creates a new structure and features in an organism. It also leads to the change in the habits of an organism.

So, these are the pre darwinian evolutionary thinking spoken about by Lamarck. He also used an example of a giraffe to prove pre darwinian theories.

Conclusion

So, one can say that pre-Darwinian theories have a different view from what was proposed by Charles Darwin. He believed that the organisms arose as a result of adaptation to the environment for several generations, which completely differs from that of Lamarck. Afterwards, Lamarckism was reformed by incorporating a few points and arguments of the opponents known as Neo-Lamarckism by Giard and Cope.