02491cam a22003133u 4500 26438 UtSlPG 20260610133614.0 m cr n 260607r2008||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d UtSlPG en iso639-1 QH Ball, W. P. (William Platt), 1844-1917 Are the Effects of Use and Disuse Inherited? : An Examination of the View Held by Spencer and Darwin Salt Lake City, UT : Project Gutenberg, 2008 1 online resource : multiple file formats text txt rdacontent computer c rdamedia online resource cr rdacarrier Release date is 2008-08-26 Produced by Bryan Ness, Stephen Blundell and the Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net (This book was produced from scanned images of public domain material from the Google Print project.) "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.) Original publication data not identified Variation (Biology) Heredity https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/26438 67382 67382