Zoological philosophy
an exposition with regard to the natural history of animals
Jean Baptiste Lamarck is remembered primarily as a pre-Darwinian evolutionist who proposed the inheritance of acquired characters to explain evolutionary change. But this narrow view of Lamarck does not do justice to his conception of organic change, nor does it indicate how Lamarck's views on organic change related to the rest of his biological thinking. This edition of Lamarck's most famous treatise, the Zoological Philosophy, provides an opportunity to reconsider this major work of 19th-century biology. It includes as well Lamarck's "Introductory Discourse" of 1800 and Cuvier's infamous "Biographical Memoir," an attack on Lamarck that has been the source of common misconceptions about his work. Introductory essays by David L. Hull and Richard W. Burkhardt, Jr., discuss Lamarck's contributions in the context of his time and reassess their significance for the development of evolutionary theory. - Back cover.
Beyond its central premise, the book can be read through the connected lenses of Philosophy. Those themes offer useful points of attention as the characters, ideas, or world develop, especially where the book complicates the expectations of its primary category.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
What the reading experience may hold
A fuller profile for choosing with more confidence—not just another copy of the preview.
Philosophy
Use these as starting points rather than limits; the most memorable books often stretch beyond their catalog labels.
No specific content concerns can be confirmed from the available English catalog information. Consult a publisher or reader-supplied guide when detailed warnings matter.
These notes are inferred from available catalog information and may not be complete. Check a publisher or reader-supplied guide if you need comprehensive warnings.
Balanced tone · Measured pace
Best when you want to settle into a longer reading experience.
A good fit if…
Readers looking for a substantial, immersive commitment with room for a world or argument to unfold.
This book's DNA
A visual estimate based on this edition's categories, description, and length. Select a star to explore the signals.
This signal is descriptive, not a rating. It helps compare the kind of reading experience this edition may offer.
Spoiler-Free Emotional Arc
A broad estimate of the book’s emotional rhythm, shown without story events or outcomes.
This visualization is an interpretive estimate based on catalog description, categories, tone, pace, and content signals. It does not describe specific scenes.
A quick reading snapshot
Edition facts and catalog signals to help you decide whether this book fits what you want to read next.
- ISBN-13
- 978-0-2264-6810-5
- Language
- English
- Edition record
- OL2840711M
A more thoughtful way into this book
This guide uses the edition details and category signals above to help you choose deliberately. It does not replace the author's work or a full review.
Best when you want to settle into a longer reading experience.
Begin with its place in Philosophy, then notice where the book resists that label.
Read for connection, not completion.
Mark one passage that sharpens the book's central concern and one that complicates it. That tension often reveals more than a quick summary.
Three questions to carry with you
- What question is the author really asking beneath the book’s main argument?
- Which claim challenges one of your familiar assumptions?
- What remains unresolved—and is that uncertainty useful?
Editorial framework by Wesley Bryan, BookenDeX Founder and Editor.
More Philosophy books
These matches combine shared categories with author, publication-era, and reading-length signals.
Core Energetics
by John C., M.D. Pierrakos
Why it fits: shares Philosophy, a similar publication era.
Alan Watts - in the Academy
by Alan Watts, Peter J. Columbus, Donadrian L. Rice
Why it fits: shares Philosophy, a similar reading length.
Computers, Teachers, Peers
by Marcia C. Linn, Sherry H. Hsi
Why it fits: shares Philosophy, a similar reading length.
Ecological Psychology in Context
by Harry Heft
Why it fits: shares Philosophy, a similar reading length.
Negotiating at an Uneven Table
by Phyllis Beck Kritek
Why it fits: shares Philosophy, a similar reading length.