LAMARCK, Recherches sur les Causes des Principaux faits Physiques, 1794

LAMARCK, Jean Baptiste.

Recherches sur les Causes des Principaux faits Physiques, Et particulièrement sur celles de la Combustion, de l'Elévation de l'eau dans l'état de vapeurs de la Chaleur produite.

Paris, Maradan, An II [1794].

Two volumes 8vo (199x124 mm), xvi-375 pages and 1 plate / (4)-412 pages and 1 folding table. binding : Modern full calf, flat spines with title pieces. Spines slightly faded. Minor foxing. Tear without lack repaired to the folding plate.

First edition.
Lamarck's first work in the field of chemistry in which he reverses Lavoisier's chemical revolution and proposes a system based on the theory of the four elements and phlogiston.
Apart from expounding his bizarre chemical theories, the book is important for his later views on biology and geology. Of interest is the section "Recherches sur les têtres organiques", which sets out his ideas on the origin of life before he abandoned his belief in a fixed species and became an evolutionist.
Lamarck's "chemical theories played an important part in the development of his ideas the origin of species, as they provived a materialistic definition of life, reproduction and evolution." (Norman).

references: Norman [1260], Duveen [VII, 334 :"In this work Lamarck sets forth his views on the immutability of species and attacks the theory of spontaneous origin of lide. The book is interesting in the history of chemistry, because Lamarck attacks Lavoisier's anti-phlogistic theory"].

Price : 950 €

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