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<p>The establishment of a knowledge system often relies on a set of unfalsifiable axioms. When these foundational assumptions change, they can give rise to entirely new, yet internally consistent frameworks. The emergence of non-Euclidean geometry following the modification of Euclid’s fifth postulate offers a compelling example. In this article, we propose a hypothetical world based on the principle of fully acquired heredity. In this envisioned system, DNA is no longer the primary carrier of inheritance. Instead, molecules with a stronger influence on phenotypic expression serve as the basis for heredity. Under such a paradigm, evolution would no longer operate through passive filtering of traits by natural selection, but rather through active adaptation where organisms directly shape their inheritance and respond dynamically to environmental changes. As acquired traits in the previous generation are fully transmitted to the offspring, inter-individual differences would be amplified, potentially rendering the concept of “species” obsolete and promoting asexual reproduction as the dominant mode. Nevertheless, this shift does not preclude the role of natural selection in shaping evolution; the system remains logically coherent and operational. Our article offers a speculative framework to explore not only what the world is, but also what the world could be.</p>

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When life began with fully acquired heredity: a non-standard hypothesis of evolutionary origins

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2025年12月5日

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  • Qi Cao,
  • Yuange Duan

摘要

The establishment of a knowledge system often relies on a set of unfalsifiable axioms. When these foundational assumptions change, they can give rise to entirely new, yet internally consistent frameworks. The emergence of non-Euclidean geometry following the modification of Euclid’s fifth postulate offers a compelling example. In this article, we propose a hypothetical world based on the principle of fully acquired heredity. In this envisioned system, DNA is no longer the primary carrier of inheritance. Instead, molecules with a stronger influence on phenotypic expression serve as the basis for heredity. Under such a paradigm, evolution would no longer operate through passive filtering of traits by natural selection, but rather through active adaptation where organisms directly shape their inheritance and respond dynamically to environmental changes. As acquired traits in the previous generation are fully transmitted to the offspring, inter-individual differences would be amplified, potentially rendering the concept of “species” obsolete and promoting asexual reproduction as the dominant mode. Nevertheless, this shift does not preclude the role of natural selection in shaping evolution; the system remains logically coherent and operational. Our article offers a speculative framework to explore not only what the world is, but also what the world could be.