conclusions about scientific proofs: "In physiological and 

 natural matters no proof is needed; they are proved by 

 themselves, i.e. the natural circumstances must be confirmed" 

 (answer to the 97th question, p. 133). There also, Tatishchev 

 was concerned about the question of the origin of the soul in 

 the developing fetus, and he attempted to find its origin in 

 the "enclosing" of the preformation hypothesis. He wrote: 



Earlier an opinion existed about weeds , that in the 

 semen of each, something is found which is capable of 

 producing growth of all organs and semen. Leeuwenhoek , 

 through his extremely intricate work with the microscope 

 or magnifying glass, examined the male outpouring of 

 animalcules which are similar to newly born frogs or 

 tadpoles: wide, circular, or oblong bodies with tails, 

 many of which are present in one drop. In real semen 

 they constitute the living things which reach the female 

 ovum where they find nutrition. The body begins to grow, 

 and later on all the parts , although extremely small and 

 immature, grow completely as in man. Adam's semen 

 included all souls that are created. (Answer to the 

 14th question, p. 8) 



Kantemir, on the contrary, announced himself as a supporter 

 of the epigenetic point of view. In work neither published nor 

 completely finished during his life, which in posthumous 

 publication conditionally received the name, "Letters about 

 Nature and Man," 6 Kantemir presented the following discussion: 



They [animals] can, in endless ages, extend their 

 kind; their creator put this possibility into them 

 from the beginning. Let us say that the multiplication 

 of their kind begins with the semen of the species which 

 eternally abides in them and prepares a special 

 messenger which exists in them at birth .... The 

 embryos or semen in animals and cattle which have 

 been prepared through infinite ages must possess the 

 form of their bodies according to kind. Through growth 



SOCHENENIYA, PESMA I IZBRANNYE PEREVODY KNYAZYA 

 ANTIOKHA DMITRIEVICHA KANTEMIRA (Works, letters and 

 selected translations of Prince Antiokh Dmitrievich 

 Kantemir) , edited by P(etr) A(leksandrovich) Efremov, 

 vol. 2, 1868. 



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