23. It must account for the phenomenon of prepotency.
24. It must explain the why and the wherefore of correlation.
25. It must tell us the meaning of the results of the experiments of Driesch, Roux, and others.
26. It must render intelligible the effects of castration on animals.
Existing Theories Unsatisfactory
Now, no existing theory of heredity can give anything approaching a satisfactory explanation of all these phenomena.
It is for this reason that we refrain from critically examining, or even naming, any of them.
We are convinced that in the present state of our knowledge it is not possible to formulate anything more than a provisional hypothesis.
It must not be thought that we consider the various theories that have been enunciated to be of no value. Erroneous hypotheses are often of the greatest utility to science, for they set men thinking and suggest experiments by means of which important additions to knowledge are made.
We now propose to set forth certain facts of inheritance, and from these to make a few deductions—deductions which seem to be forced upon us.