Synthesized answer
The central thesis of Stephen Jay Gould's "Ontogeny and Phylogeny" is the documentation of the history of the idea of recapitulation [1]. This idea, encapsulated by Haeckel's phrase "Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny," was a significant answer to a key question in 19th-century biology: the relationship between individual development and the evolution of species and lineages [1].
Gould traces this concept of recapitulation from its earliest origins among the pre-Socratics through to its eventual decline in the early 20th century [1]. The passages do not explicitly state what Gould's own concluding view or central argument is beyond his historical documentation of the idea.
Synthesized from the book passages below. Chat with the book on Feynman for follow-up.
From the book
Title: Ontogeny and Phylogeny by Stephen Jay Gould Description: “Ontogeny recapitulates phylogeny” was Haeckel’s answer to 19th-century biology’s most vexing question: what is the relationship between individual development and the evolution of species and lineages? Gould documents the history of the idea of recapitulation from its first appearance among the pre-Socratics to its fall in the early 20th century. Categories: Science Pages: 522 Snippet: Gould documents the history of the idea of recapitulation from its first appearance among the pre-Socratics to its fall in the early 20th…