Theory of Inheritance vs Theory of Evolution

Throughout the beginning of the nineteenth century there were two similar and still contrasting ideas of how evolution came to be. Both Charles Darwin and Jean-Baptiste Lamarck developed their own theories. First, Lamarck developed the Theory of Inheritance. He believed that living things had developed into what they were due to their environment. Lamarck thought living organisms developed characteristics to better suit their environment, such as the giraffe, that he assumed grew a larger neck in order to reach the food needed to survive, up in the trees. In turn, he figured that these more suitable characteristics were to be passed on to the next generation by inheritance to the descendants. He also assumed other characteristics would, over time, disappear if there were no longer necessary based on he environment. Lamarck ultimately believed it was possible that these developments, if taken place over millions of years, could result in the present day plants and animals. Darwin, on the other hand, developed the Theory of Evolution. The basis of this theory came from the known fact that no two living things are exactly alike. Furthermore, he theorized that as a result of natural dangers and limitations, more creatures were also born than could survive. Thus, the idea of survival of the fittest, or natural selection, was born unto the mind of Darwin. Darwin rationalized that those with the best characteristics fit to live, were those who lived. Therefore, the living creatures with these characteristics were able to pass them on to the next generation. He believed that nature selected who could survive long enough to reproduce. Both theories are similar to one another, conceptually. Both involve an organisms' characteristics playing a major role in their survival. The Theory of Inheritance and the Theory of Evolution both center around the idea that certain characteristics are suitable and those with c will survive more than those without. They realized this