Jean Lamark

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in nature were arranged on one continuous natural scale. According to Lamarck, once nature formed life, the arrangement of all subsequent forms of life was the result of time and environment interacting with the organization of organic beings. From the simplest forms of life, more complex forms emerged naturally. These ideas were initially presented in Lamarck's major theoretical work, Zoological Philosophy, and he elaborated on them throughout his career. His final treatment of his hypothesis was included in his multi-volume work on invertebrates. Here, Lamarck explains his scale of nature as being controlled by three biological laws: environmental influence on organ development, change in body structure based on use and disuse of parts, and the inheritance of acquired characteristics. However, Lamarck's views were never clearly presented nor coherently argued. As a result, his ideas were not seriously entertained during his ...

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