The document discusses the theories of evolution proposed by Jean-Baptiste Lamarck and Charles Darwin. Lamarck believed that organisms could pass on characteristics they acquired during their lifetime to their offspring through inheritance. Darwin proposed his theory of natural selection, in which variation exists within populations and individuals with traits better suited to their environment are more likely to survive and pass on those traits, leading to evolution over time. While both recognized that species change over time, they disagreed on inheritance, with modern science supporting Darwin's theory based on genetics and fossil evidence.