REPRESENTATIVE LAMARCKIANS 271 



ity, complex and variable and where every proposition 

 implies many necessary restrictions. 



From our survey of the various Lamarckian the- 

 ories it appears that Lamarckism is a strictly mechan- 

 ical system of biology. The fact that it lays such 

 stress upon the influence of the environment lends a 

 logical aspect to the mechanical view of life adopted 

 by the majority of Neo-Lamarckians. There is, how- 

 ever, a peculiar form of Lamarckism (mostly pro- 

 fessed by German scientists) which accepts literally 

 Lamarck's statements as to the efforts made by the 

 living individual to adapt itself to its needs, and re- 

 gards the efforts as conscious and resulting from a 

 mental process or "judgment." 



This element of consciousness manifests itself (ac- 

 cording to representatives of that school, among 

 others, Pauly) not only in the adaptation of organs 

 to the various new needs (e. g. the transformation of a 

 crustacean's limbs), but in the modification of histo- 

 logical characters, consciousness being an attribute, 

 not only of the organism but of its elements. Pauly 

 ascribes this attitude even to inorganic bodies, thus 

 endeavouring to bridge the gap between living and 

 lifeless matter. 



This is vitalist and teleological Lamarckism, a type 

 of Lamarckism which lends itself very easily to vio- 

 lent attacks. Nothing could be farther removed 

 from the Lamarckian spirit with its mechanical con- 





