Are the Effects of Use and Disuse Inherited? by W. P. Ball
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"Are the Effects of Use and Disuse Inherited?" by William Platt Ball is a scientific publication written in the late 19th century. The work critically examines the contrasting views of evolutionary theorists Herbert Spencer and Charles Darwin regarding the inheritance of acquired characteristics. The central topic of the book revolves around the inquiry into whether traits developed during an organism's life (due to use or disuse) can be passed down to subsequent
generations, a concept that has significant implications for the understanding of evolution and heredity. The opening of the text establishes the importance of the scientific inquiry at hand, emphasizing its implications on morality and society as inspired by thinkers like Herbert Spencer. Ball expresses his gratitude to influential figures who guided him through his exploration of this contentious issue, setting the stage for his argument against the notion that acquired traits are inherited. He introduces the broader context of the debate over evolution, touching on natural selection and the arguments posited by his contemporaries like Spencer and Darwin, positioning the discussion as vital not only to biological understanding but also to social and moral considerations regarding the progress of humanity. (This is an automatically generated summary.)
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About this eBook
| Author | Ball, W. P. (William Platt), 1844-1917 |
|---|---|
| Title |
Are the Effects of Use and Disuse Inherited? An Examination of the View Held by Spencer and Darwin |
| Credits |
Produced by Bryan Ness, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print project.) |
| Reading Level | Reading ease score: 47.5 (College-level). Difficult to read. |
| Language | English |
| LoC Class | QH: Science: Natural history |
| Subject | Variation (Biology) |
| Subject | Heredity |
| Category | Text |
| eBook-No. | 26438 |
| Release Date | Aug 26, 2008 |
| Last Update | Jan 4, 2021 |
| Copyright | Public domain in the USA. |
| Downloads | 4334 downloads in the last 30 days. |
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