Darwin-L Message Log 6:55 (February 1994)

Academic Discussion on the History and Theory of the Historical Sciences

This is one message from the Archives of Darwin-L (1993–1997), a professional discussion group on the history and theory of the historical sciences.

Note: Additional publications on evolution and the historical sciences by the Darwin-L list owner are available on SSRN.

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<6:55>From phlkcs@gsusgi2.gsu.edu  Fri Feb 11 08:20:51 1994

Date: Fri, 11 Feb 1994 09:13:22 -0500 (EST)
From: "Kelly C. Smith" <phlkcs@gsusgi2.gsu.edu>
Subject: Re: extragenetic inheritance
To: darwin-l@ukanaix.cc.ukans.edu

On Thu, 10 Feb 1994, Ron (the all American boy) Amundson wrote:

> Quoth John Limber:
>
> > This is beginning to sound like a case for Comrade Trofim
> > Denisovich Lysenko!
>
> Ohmigawd, we're caught!  OK, I confess, I'm a commie pinko red bicycle
> seat sniffer.  But Kelley made me do it!

I have personally witnessed the aforementioned bicycle seat sniffing
(though the bike in question was chartreuse), but take no responsibility
for Ron's actions.  Ron was committed to his twisted ways long before
I met him.

> But, by the way, in what way does extragenetic inheritance imply
> inheritance of acquired characteristics?

On the off chance that this is a serious question, I'd like to offer a
brief comment.  People often assume that inheritance of acquired
characteristics implies some non-genetic basis.  While this may often be
the case, it need not be since the sequestration of the germ plasm is not
as strict (even in sexual organisms) as Weismannians would have us
believe.  Similarly, the discovery of extragenetic inheritance need not
imply the transmission of acquired characters (though, again, it often will).

That is all,
Comrade Kelly
phlkcs@gsusgi2.gsu.edu

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