Deconstructing Myths in the History of Science

Presentation of the project

"Myths about science and its history continually generate misconceptions about scientific knowledge and how it functions. Their negative effects on education and the dissemination of science are well documented, particularly in the context of today’s anti-science movements. Because of their longevity and widespread circulation, the deconstruction of scientific and historical myths requires ongoing critical examination.

This presentation will focus on the inheritance of acquired characteristics (IAC) through use and disuse, a notion associated with nineteenth-century theories of evolution that has become one of the oldest and most widespread epistemological myths in biology. Its formulation and defence have long been attributed to Jean-Baptiste de Lamarck (1744–1829), and its refutation to Charles Darwin (1809–1882) – two historical errors that have been challenged by the historiography of biology since the 1980s.

In fact, Lamarckian evolution has its roots in the work of Hippocrates and was widely accepted until the nineteenth century, including by Darwin himself. It is therefore not a point of contention between the two thinkers, but rather a shared aspect of their evolutionary theories. Yet this myth continues to appear in biology textbooks, from primary education to higher education, and consequently persists in the collective imagination.

The presentation will examine several reasons for the persistence of this myth, exploring the intentions behind its construction as well as the harmful consequences of its continued circulation."