Nietzsche Was No Lamarckian

Abstract

ABSTRACT It is fast becoming the standard view that Nietzsche accepted Lamarck's now-discredited view concerning the inheritance of acquired characteristics. I examine passages that are cited by Richard Schacht as evidence of Nietzsche's Lamarckianism, including GS 99, BGE 262, BGE 264, and TI “Improvers” 2–5, and argue that they do not provide such evidence. I am mainly concerned to show that these passages provide insufficient evidence that Nietzsche embraced “Lamarck's idea,” but I also offer some support for a stronger view, a denial that he did so.