Question

The idea of use and disuse of organs for evolution of organism was proposed by

• A. Charles Darwin
• B. Thomas Malthus
• C. Hugo De Vries
• D. Lamarck

Hint:

Lamarckism focus: Use/Disuse and Inheritance of Acquired Traits.
Darwinism focus: Variation and Natural Selection.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The question asks for the scientist associated with the "Theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characters," specifically the concept of "Use and Disuse of Organs."
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck proposed that evolution occurred by the inheritance of acquired characters.
He argued that organs which are used extensively become stronger and larger, while those that are not used deteriorate (disuse).
His classic example was the long neck of the giraffe, which he claimed evolved because ancestors stretched their necks to reach high leaves.
(A) Charles Darwin proposed Natural Selection.
(B) Thomas Malthus influenced Darwin with his work on populations.
(C) Hugo De Vries proposed the Mutation theory of evolution.
Step 3: Final Answer:
The theory of use and disuse was proposed by Lamarck, which corresponds to option (D).