Early Schools of Thought in Geology

Early Schools of Thought in Geology

• Catastrophism was proposed by Baron Georges Cuvier in the 16th century, suggesting that Earth's physical features change due to sudden, worldwide catastrophes.
• Cuvier's theory gained popularity among theologians in the early 1800s because it aligned with Biblical narratives.
• Uniformitarianism was introduced by James Hutton in the 18th century, positing that geological processes have always occurred at different rates throughout time.
• Key principle of Uniformitarianism: "The present is the key to the past," a concept coined by William Whewell and popularized by Charles Lyell.
• Uniformitarianism asserts that the same physical, chemical, and biological laws we observe today have been consistent throughout Earth's history.
• Lyell rebranded Uniformitarianism as “actualism,” which gained acceptance due to his persuasive arguments in "Principles of Geology."
• Acceptance of actualism implies an acknowledgment of Earth's ancient age, countering the belief in a young Earth as described in Biblical texts.
• Long-term geological processes include continental drift, India’s collision with Eurasia, and the uplift of Baguio and the Philippine Archipelago.
• While Catastrophism and Uniformitarianism both have merit, the latter is more widely supported today for its rational and cyclic perspective on geological change.