I shall borrow two words used for a slightly different…
“I shall borrow two words used for a slightly different purpose by the great demographer Alfred Lotka to distinguish between the two systems of heredity enjoyed by man: endosomatic or internal heredity for the ordinary or genetical heredity we have in common with animals; and exosomatic or external heredity for the non-genetic heredity that is peculiarly our own - the heredity that is mediated through tradition, by which I mean the transfer of information through non-genetic channels from one generation to the next.”
About This Quote
This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.
Human cultural inheritance (exosomatic) differs from biological inheritance, shaping societies through learned knowledge.
In simple terms: Culture passes knowledge across generations, unlike genes.
Key Takeaway
Cultivate and share knowledge across generations.
Themes
culture
inheritance
learning
society
Mood
thoughtful
inquisitive
Type
educational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- education
- family traditions
- media
- technology adoption
Key Concepts
memetics
cultural evolution
information transfer
Questions to Reflect On
- How does cultural inheritance shape your identity?
- What role does biology play in cultural change?
A Different Perspective
Biological factors also influence behavior, limiting cultural control.