Why is Jean Baptiste Lamarck important?

Answer 1

Jean Baptiste Lamarck is important for his early contributions to the theory of evolution, particularly the idea of inheritance of acquired characteristics, which suggested that organisms could pass on traits acquired during their lifetime to their offspring. His work laid foundational concepts for later evolutionary theories, despite being largely supplanted by Darwinian natural selection. Lamarck's emphasis on adaptation and change in response to the environment influenced future biological thought and sparked discussions on evolution that continue to this day.