Essays Upon Heredity and Kindred Biological Problems / Authorised Translation

Name: Essays Upon Heredity and Kindred Biological Problems / Authorised Translation
Author: August Weismann

By August Weismann

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Science - Biology

About This Book

A collection of linked essays examining biological inheritance and related problems. It opens with an inquiry into factors that determine organismal lifespan and then develops a theory of heredity centered on the continuity of the germ-plasm. Subsequent essays analyze the significance of sexual reproduction, the number and role of polar bodies, and the conditions that allow parthenogenetic development. Other pieces critically evaluate botanical and experimental claims for the transmission of acquired characters and for the heritability of mutilations. Empirical observations are combined with theoretical interpretation, and the essays are presented as successive stages in a progressively refined research program.

About the Author

August Weismann

August Weismann was a prominent German biologist known for his foundational contributions to the field of evolutionary theory. He is best recognized for his work on heredity and the concept of germinal selection, which he articulated in his influential book "On Germinal Selection as a Source of Definite Variation." Weismann's theories challenged prevailing notions of inheritance and laid the groundwork for modern genetics. His two-volume work, "Studies in the Theory of Descent," further explored the mechanisms of evolution and the role of natural selection. Through his extensive research and writings, Weismann significantly shaped the understanding of biological evolution and heredity.