Environmental Vitalism : The Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics

Determined to prove Lamarck's theory of inheritance of acquired characteristics, Paul Kammerer spent a lifetime proving that humans are not merely 'slaves of our past', but 'captains of our future'. Despised by forces who would later become the Nazi Party yet embraced by Soviet scientists, the brunt of Kammerer's scientific work was lost in a maelstrom of political upheaval and accusations of fraud. This treatise expounds on Lamarck's theory of inherited characteristics, placing responsibility not on God, not on government, not on biological determinism, but squarely on every living being: how one responds to one's environment directly affects that environment for future generations. This book serves as both a defence of Kammerer's scientific integrity and as a guide of hope for up-and-coming scientists, historians, and those who are interested in the future of the earth and humankind.