Pre-Darwinian Theory

Empedocles

· proposed that myriad organisms formed randomly from the mixing of elemental forces (like heat and cold) and only those capable of surviving persisted—echoing a rudimentary "survival of the fittest" concept.  

Empedocles

he stated that everything in the world is made up of 4 elements. air fire water earth. life came from this elements mixing together

aristotle

criticized this random formation idea, instead advocating for teleology—that forms exist for a purpose and show consistent inheritance. He accepted only rare anomalies (monstrosities) but saw species as largely fixed; any variation was developmental, not evolutionary.

teleology

• every living things exists for a reason

 Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon

argued species could change over time and anticipated extinction, at a time when species permanence was the norm.

 Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon

· He hinted at an internal organizing principle—an "internal mould" akin to DNA—and conducted in-situ ecological observations, earning him recognition as a pioneering ecologist.

Buffon

· He used the term “degeneration” to describe natural modifications—not implying negative descent but rather transformation away from an original form.

degeneration

· Buffon used the term “_________” to describe natural modifications—not implying negative descent but rather transformation away from an original form.

erasmus darwin

· proposed that all warm-blooded animals descended from a single “living filament” capable of inherent improvement over time, transmitted across generations.  

erasmus darwin

· He also recognized something like survival of the fittest: “the strongest and most active animal should propagate the species,” suggesting competition and differential survival—though this lacked a formal mechanism.

erasmus darwin

His poetic works (The Botanic Garden, Temple of Nature) traced life’s progression—from micro-life to complex · beings—and included speculation on variation and sexual reproduction.  

Jean-Baptiste Lamarck

he outlined the first systematic transformational theory of species

transformational theory of species

lamarck outlined the first systematic ___________

lamarckism

• organism could acquire traits during their lifetime, and that traits ay ipapasa sa offspring nila (lamarckism)

• ex. giraffe - domino effect (necks nila)

law of use

kapag ang structure ay gamit na gamit, lalo siya magiging stronger and ma-enhance.

law of disuse

weaken then disappear.

first law

Lamarck
o Use of an organ strengthens it; disuse leads to degeneration.

second law

Lamarck
: Acquired traits are inheritable—species change through adaptation to environment

lamarck

He envisioned a ladder of complexity, continuously generating simple life that evolved into more complex forms across parallel lineages.  

ladder of complexity
parallel lineages

Lamarck envisioned a _________, continuously generating simple life that evolved into more complex forms across __________.  

lamarck

rejected extinction; instead, species evolved into new forms over time.

lamarck

· His views drove transformism debates, especially with Georges Cuvier, who staunchly defended species fixity. The discovery of Egyptian mummies, showing bird forms unchanged over 3,000 years, fueled this controversy. He countered that such a short time frame was insufficient for observable change; species change required longer, more radical environmental shifts.

transformism

· Lamarck views drove _________ debates, especially with Georges Cuvier, who staunchly defended species fixity. The discovery of Egyptian mummies, showing bird forms unchanged over 3,000 years, fueled this controversy. He countered that such a short time frame was insufficient for observable change; species change required longer, more radical environmental shifts.

extinction

· Buffon (mid-1700s) argued species could change over time and anticipated _________, at a time when species permanence was the norm. He hinted at an internal organizing principle—an "internal mould" akin to DNA—and conducted in-situ ecological observations, earning him recognition as a pioneering ecologist.

inherent improvement 

· In Zoonomia (1794–96), Erasmus Darwin proposed that all warm-blooded animals descended from a single “living filament” capable of _________ over time, transmitted across generations.  

survival of the fittest

· Erasmus Darwin also recognized something like ___________: “the strongest and most active animal should propagate the species,” suggesting competition and differential survival—though this lacked a formal mechanism.