Concurrence and Recapitulation 189 



5. Concurrence and Recapitulation 



From the point of view of the theory of orthoplasy, we 

 have a somewhat modified way of viewing the general 

 principle of recapitulation. The statement of the inter- 

 genetic relation of evolution and development as one of 

 ' concurrence ' gives us this changed point of view ; for 

 concurrence is to be interpreted as well from the side of 

 the leading part played by accommodation and not simply, 

 as is the case with recapitulation, from that of stages of 

 the ontogenetic processes of heredity. Concurrence of the 

 sort reached by tJie theory of orthoplasy 1 amounts to a sort of 

 reversed recapitulation. The individual recapitulates his 

 genetic series, but the genetic series became what it is by 

 reason of its continued concurrence with the processes of 

 individual accommodation. 



If we ask the philosophical question, why recapitulation 

 is true why development should recapitulate evolution 

 various partial answers may be advanced; and from the 

 point of view of orthoplasy greater cogency and complete- 

 ness seems to be given to these partial answers. 



We may sa.y,jfirst t that the process which shows itself 

 as recapitulation, is the only one by which nature could 

 make individuals like their parents ; the way, that is, of 

 bringing them up through serial processes of genetic 

 development, each stage being necessary to the next. If 

 nature, by variation, departed too widely from this series 

 of processes, the individuals would fail of some of the 

 essential adaptations which just this series of genetic pro- 



1 In general conception, of course, a concurrence might arise from La- 

 marckian heredity. It is this general use of the term ' concurrence ' which is 

 contrasted with the conception of coincidence, due to coincident variation 

 alone, which is taken up in the next chapter. 



