orthogenesis

American  

[awr-thuh-jen-uh-sis] / ˌɔr θəˈdʒɛn ə sɪs /

noun

1. Biology.

   1. Also called orthoselection. evolution of a species proceeding by continuous structural changes in a single lineage without presenting a branching pattern of descent.

   2. a theory that the evolution of a species in a continuous, nonbranching manner is due to a predetermined series of alterations intrinsic to the species and not subject to natural selection.

2. Sociology. a hypothetical parallelism between the stages through which every culture necessarily passes, in spite of secondary conditioning factors.

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orthogenesis British  

/ ˌɔːθəʊˈdʒɛnɪsɪs /

noun

1. biology

   1. evolution of a group of organisms predetermined to occur in a particular direction

   2. the theory that proposes such a development

2. the theory that there is a series of stages through which all cultures pass in the same order

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Other Word Forms

• orthogenetic
  adjective
• orthogenetically
  adverb

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Etymology

Origin of orthogenesis

From New Latin, dating back to 1890–95; see origin at ortho-, genesis

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

orthogenesis

The various models proposed for the mechanism of evolution, such as Lamarckian evolution, orthogenesis, and use-disuse, all implied some level of teleology, that there was a directionality inherent in the process.

From Scientific American ● Sep. 5, 2021

Or if Natural Selection did it, or orthogenesis or epigenesis, or any other genesis, have we not in any of these found a god equal to the occasion?

From The Last Harvest by John Burroughs

We have tried to prove, on the contrary, by the example of the eye, that if there is "orthogenesis" here, a psychological cause intervenes.

From Creative Evolution by Arthur Mitchell

We should thus arrive at a demonstration of what Eimer called orthogenesis, or evolution in definite directions.

From Hormones and Heredity by J. T. Cunningham

There are dozens of theories,—mutation, orthogenesis, Weismanism, Mendelianism, etc.,— and each has its adherents,—but they agree in one thing, that "Natural Selection" does not account for the forms of life on earth to-day.

From Evolution An Investigation and a Critique by Theodore Graebner

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