Abstract

Heriditary, innate, genetical are three different concepts of which the meanings are different but, since obviously related, are often used one for the other, for they are all three used in opposition to acquired or what is called environmental factors. What is acquired is linked to the environment: what is not innate (hereditary, genetical, ...) is acquired and what is acquired cannot be so but through the environment. Thus,innate (hereditary, genetical, ...) andacquired correspond to the usual opposition betweeninside andoutside.This is an abstract, if rather caricatural not untrue, description of the use of these concepts in modern biology, especially after August Weismann (1834–1914) who emphasized the distinction betweensoma andgermen.