Changes

The dominant [[paradigm]] of modern [[geology]], in contrast, is uniformitarianism (also sometimes described as [[gradualism]]), in which slow incremental changes, such as erosion, create the Earth's appearance. This view holds that the present is the key to the past, and that all things continue as they were from the beginning of the world. Recently a more inclusive and integrated view of geologic events has developed, changing the scientific consensus to accept some catastrophic events in the geologic past.

The dominant [[paradigm]] of modern [[geology]], in contrast, is uniformitarianism (also sometimes described as [[gradualism]]), in which slow incremental changes, such as erosion, create the Earth's appearance. This view holds that the present is the key to the past, and that all things continue as they were from the beginning of the world. Recently a more inclusive and integrated view of geologic events has developed, changing the scientific consensus to accept some catastrophic events in the geologic past.

==History of catastrophism==

==History of catastrophism==

===The creationism view===

===The creationism view===

===Geological paradigm shift===

===Geological paradigm shift===

An [[alternative]] paradigm to the traditional view of catastrophism was first proposed in the eleventh century by the Persian geologist, Avicenna (Ibn Sina, 980-1037), who provided the first uniformatarian explanations for geological processes in ''The Book of Healing''. He recognized that mountains were formed after a long sequence of events that predate [[human]] [[existence]].[8][9] While discussing the formation of mountains, he explained:

An [[alternative]] paradigm to the traditional view of catastrophism was first proposed in the eleventh century by the Persian geologist, Avicenna (Ibn Sina, 980-1037), who provided the first uniformatarian explanations for geological processes in ''The Book of Healing''. He recognized that mountains were formed after a long sequence of events that predate [[human]] [[existence]].[8][9] While discussing the formation of mountains, he explained:

<blockquote>"Either they are the effects of upheavals of the crust of the earth, such as might occur during a violent earthquake, or they are the effect of water, which, cutting itself a new route, has denuded the valleys, the strata being of different kinds, some soft, some hard... It would require a long period of time for all such changes to be accomplished, during which the mountains themselves might be somewhat diminished in size."[9]<blockquote/>dddd

 

<blockquote>"Either they are the effects of upheavals of the crust of the earth, such as might occur during a violent earthquake, or they are the effect of water, which, cutting itself a new route, has denuded the valleys, the strata being of different kinds, some soft, some hard... It would require a long period of time for all such changes to be accomplished, during which the mountains themselves might be somewhat diminished in size."[9]</blockquote>

 

Later in the eleventh century, the Chinese naturalist, Shen Kuo (1031-1095), also recognized the concept of 'deep time'.[10]

Later in the eleventh century, the Chinese naturalist, Shen Kuo (1031-1095), also recognized the concept of 'deep time'.[10]

"At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the French geologist and naturalist Baron Georges Cuvier proposed what came to be known as the Catastrophe theory or '''''Catastrophism'''''. According to the theory, the abrupt faunal changes geologists saw in rock strata were the result of periodic devastations that wiped out all or most extant species, each successive period being repopulated with new kinds of animals and plants, by God's hand. [Charles] Lyell rejected so non-scientific[ a hypothesis (as did James Hutton before him), and replaced it with the notion that geological processes proceeded gradually - all geological processes." (Lewin, 1993)

"At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the French geologist and naturalist Baron Georges Cuvier proposed what came to be known as the Catastrophe theory or '''''Catastrophism'''''. According to the theory, the abrupt faunal changes geologists saw in rock strata were the result of periodic devastations that wiped out all or most extant species, each successive period being repopulated with new kinds of animals and plants, by God's hand. [Charles] Lyell rejected so non-scientific[ a hypothesis (as did James Hutton before him), and replaced it with the notion that geological processes proceeded gradually - all geological processes." (Lewin, 1993)

===The rise of uniformitarianism===

===The rise of uniformitarianism===

From around 1850 to 1980, most geologists endorsed ''uniformitarianism'' ("The present is the key to the past") and [[gradualism]] (geologic change occurs slowly over long periods of time) and rejected the [[idea]] that [[cataclysmic]] events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or floods of vastly greater power than those observed at the present time, played any significant role in the formation of the Earth's surface. Instead they believed that the earth had been shaped by the long term action of forces such as volcanism, earthquakes, erosion, and sedimentation, that could still be observed in action today. In part, the geologists' rejection was fostered by their impression that the catastrophists of the nineteenth century believed that God was directly involved in determining the [[history]] of [[Earth]]. Catastrophism of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was closely tied to religion and catastrophic origins were considered miraculous rather than natural events.[11]

From around 1850 to 1980, most geologists endorsed ''uniformitarianism'' ("The present is the key to the past") and [[gradualism]] (geologic change occurs slowly over long periods of time) and rejected the [[idea]] that [[cataclysmic]] events such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, or floods of vastly greater power than those observed at the present time, played any significant role in the formation of the Earth's surface. Instead they believed that the earth had been shaped by the long term action of forces such as volcanism, earthquakes, erosion, and sedimentation, that could still be observed in action today. In part, the geologists' rejection was fostered by their impression that the catastrophists of the nineteenth century believed that God was directly involved in determining the [[history]] of [[Earth]]. Catastrophism of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries was closely tied to religion and catastrophic origins were considered miraculous rather than natural events.[11]

# The Columbia Encyclopedia Sixth Edition, uniformitarianism © 2007 Columbia University Press.

# The Columbia Encyclopedia Sixth Edition, uniformitarianism © 2007 Columbia University Press.

==References==

==References==

King, Clarence, Catastrophism and Evolution, The American Naturalist, Vol. 11, No. 8. (Aug., 1877), pp. 449-470.

*King, Clarence, Catastrophism and Evolution, The American Naturalist, Vol. 11, No. 8. (Aug., 1877), pp. 449-470.

Lewin, R. (1993). Complexity, Dent, London, p. 75.

*Lewin, R. (1993). Complexity, Dent, London, p. 75.

Palmer, T. (1994) Catastrophism, Neocatastrophism and Evolution. Society for Interdisciplinary Studies in association with Nottingham Trent University. ISBN 0-9514307-1-8 (SIS) ISBN 0-905488-20-2 (Nottingham Trent University)

*Palmer, T. (1994) Catastrophism, Neocatastrophism and Evolution. Society for Interdisciplinary Studies in association with Nottingham Trent University. ISBN 0-9514307-1-8 (SIS) ISBN 0-905488-20-2 (Nottingham Trent University)

Rudwick, Martin J.S. The Meaning of Fossils. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago 1972. ISBN 0-226-73103-0

*Rudwick, Martin J.S. The Meaning of Fossils. The University of Chicago Press: Chicago 1972. ISBN 0-226-73103-0

McGowan, Christopher The Dragon Hunters. Persus Publishing: Cambridge MA 2001. ISBN 0-7382-0282-7

*McGowan, Christopher The Dragon Hunters. Persus Publishing: Cambridge MA 2001. ISBN 0-7382-0282-7

 

==External links==

==External links==

*[http://www.pibburns.com/catastro/extinct.htm Catastrophism and Mass Extinctions]

*[https://www.pibburns.com/catastro/extinct.htm Catastrophism and Mass Extinctions]

*[http://science.ntu.ac.uk/life/staff/tp/fallc.htm The Fall and Rise of Catastrophism]

*[https://science.ntu.ac.uk/life/staff/tp/fallc.htm The Fall and Rise of Catastrophism]

* [http://www.unmuseum.org/velikov.htm Venus in the Corner Pocket]: the controversial theories of [[Immanuel Velikovsky]]

* [https://www.unmuseum.org/velikov.htm Venus in the Corner Pocket]: the controversial theories of [[Immanuel Velikovsky]]

*[http://www.psi.edu/projects/moon/moon.html "The origin of the moon'.]

*[https://www.psi.edu/projects/moon/moon.html "The origin of the moon'.]

*[http://www.catastrophism.com/ Catastrophism! Man, Myth and Mayhem in Ancient History and the Sciences]

*[https://www.catastrophism.com/ Catastrophism! Man, Myth and Mayhem in Ancient History and the Sciences]

* [http://www.answersincreation.org/catastrophism.htm Answers In Creation - Catastrophism Article]

* [https://www.answersincreation.org/catastrophism.htm Answers In Creation - Catastrophism Article]

*[http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgi-local/DHI/dhi.cgi?id=dv4-56 ''Dictionary of the History of Ideas'':] "Uniformitarianism and Catastrophism"

*[https://etext.lib.virginia.edu/cgi-local/DHI/dhi.cgi?id=dv4-56 ''Dictionary of the History of Ideas'':] "Uniformitarianism and Catastrophism"

[[Category: Geology]]

[[Category: Geology]]

[[Category: Cosmology]]

[[Category: Cosmology]]