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Consider the following statements regarding evolution:
  1. Lamarckism is the idea that an organism can pass one characteristic that it acquired during its lifetime to its offspring.
  2. Loss of limbs in snakes is explained by the theory of use and disuse of organs.
  3. Lamarck's theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics has been supported by Darwin's theory.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
  • a)
    1 only
  • b)
    2 and 3 only
  • c)
    1, 2 and 3
  • d)
    1 and 2 only
Correct answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
Verified Answer
Consider the following statements regarding evolution: Lamarckism is t...
Lamarckism (or Lamarckian inheritance) is the idea that an organism can pass one characteristic that it acquired during its lifetime to its offspring (also known as the inheritance of acquired character). Hence, statement 1 is correct.
Lamarck incorporated the following two ideas into his theory of evolution:
  • Use and disuse of organs- Individuals lose characteristics which they do not require (or use) and develop characteristics which they do not require (or use) and develop characteristics that are useful. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
  • Inheritance acquired traits- Individuals inherit the traits of their ancestors. Darwin's theory (Natural selection) has been supported by a lot of evidence. Lamarck's Theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics has been disproved. This was done in two major ways. The first is by experiment. We have seen through many real examples and observations that changes that occur in an animal during life are not passed on to the animal's offspring. If a dog's ears are cropped short, its puppies are stillborn with long ears. If someone exercises every day, runs marathons, eats well, and is generally very healthy, the fitness is not passed on and the person's children still have to work just as hard to get that fit and healthy. These and other examples show that Lamarck's theory does not explain how life formed and became the way it is. Hence, statement 3 is not correct.
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Most Upvoted Answer
Consider the following statements regarding evolution: Lamarckism is t...
Explanation:

Lamarckism:
- Lamarckism is the theory proposed by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck that suggests organisms can pass on characteristics acquired during their lifetime to their offspring.
- This theory implies that individuals can adapt to their environment and those acquired traits can be inherited by the next generation.

Use and disuse of organs:
- According to Lamarck's theory, the use and disuse of organs can lead to changes in an organism's characteristics.
- For example, snakes losing their limbs can be explained by the theory of use and disuse of organs. If a snake stopped using its limbs, over time, they might become vestigial and eventually disappear in future generations.

Darwin's theory:
- Charles Darwin proposed the theory of natural selection, which suggests that organisms with advantageous traits are more likely to survive and reproduce, leading to the evolution of species.
- Darwin's theory does not support Lamarckism, as it focuses on the heritability of genetic traits rather than acquired characteristics.

Conclusion:
- From the given statements, it is clear that statement 1 is correct, as it describes Lamarckism accurately.
- Statement 2 is also correct, as it relates the loss of limbs in snakes to the theory of use and disuse of organs, a concept associated with Lamarckism.
- However, statement 3 is incorrect, as Darwin's theory of natural selection does not support Lamarck's theory of the inheritance of acquired characteristics.
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Consider the following statements regarding evolution: Lamarckism is the idea that an organism can pass one characteristic that it acquired during its lifetime to its offspring. Loss of limbs in snakes is explained by the theory of use and disuse of organs. Lamarcks theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics has been supported by Darwins theory.Which of the statements given above is/arecorrect?a)1 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)1, 2 and 3d)1 and 2 onlyCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?
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Consider the following statements regarding evolution: Lamarckism is the idea that an organism can pass one characteristic that it acquired during its lifetime to its offspring. Loss of limbs in snakes is explained by the theory of use and disuse of organs. Lamarcks theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics has been supported by Darwins theory.Which of the statements given above is/arecorrect?a)1 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)1, 2 and 3d)1 and 2 onlyCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? for UPSC 2025 is part of UPSC preparation. The Question and answers have been prepared according to the UPSC exam syllabus. Information about Consider the following statements regarding evolution: Lamarckism is the idea that an organism can pass one characteristic that it acquired during its lifetime to its offspring. Loss of limbs in snakes is explained by the theory of use and disuse of organs. Lamarcks theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics has been supported by Darwins theory.Which of the statements given above is/arecorrect?a)1 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)1, 2 and 3d)1 and 2 onlyCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer? covers all topics & solutions for UPSC 2025 Exam. Find important definitions, questions, meanings, examples, exercises and tests below for Consider the following statements regarding evolution: Lamarckism is the idea that an organism can pass one characteristic that it acquired during its lifetime to its offspring. Loss of limbs in snakes is explained by the theory of use and disuse of organs. Lamarcks theory of Inheritance of Acquired Characteristics has been supported by Darwins theory.Which of the statements given above is/arecorrect?a)1 onlyb)2 and 3 onlyc)1, 2 and 3d)1 and 2 onlyCorrect answer is option 'D'. Can you explain this answer?.
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