are sufficient to explain all conditions and anomalies
in the geological record—
types of rock (volcanic, sedimentary, metamorphic)
faults and fissures, stratisgraphic
displacements and depressions
earthquakes, gradual building up of volcanos
loess, diluvium, erratics, consolidation of masses
uplifting, tilting, buckling,
unconformities
melting, crystallization, the formation of granite
“granite penetrating metamorphic shists”
fossilization of plant and animal remains.
In short,
catastrophes and supernatural events
epochs of paroxysmal and paranormal changes
are not needed
for the science of geology,
said Charles Lyell.
Uniformitarianism
“The present
is a key to the past.”
We don’t need exceptions to the natural order
to explain the actions of miracles
we witness daily.
Circumstances being equal
the same methods produce the same results
although circumstances are seldom equal.
Things tend to take a lot of time
except for those
that happen suddenly
unexpected.
Things tend to fall
except for those that fly.
Things tend to die
except for those that survive.
Devolution
Charles Lyell wrote the book on geology
that Darwin read on his first voyage on the Beagle
but Lyell thought that Darwin was wrong
expecting to find fossils of modern life
even in the oldest sediments
or admitting that new forms have appeared
but not that they evolved from previous forms.
The record gradually revealed the truth
and Lyell became a proponent of evolution
even the evolution of humans
showing that science is not like religion;
a good scientist admits when he was wrong.
Modern geology has been formed by an interplay of
catastrophism and uniformitarianism. James Hall the Neptunist was
a good friend of James Hutton the Plutonist who first suggested
uniformitarianism; Hutton helped convert Hall to Plutonism.
Charles Lyell was a good friend of Charles Darwin; Darwin helped
convert Lyell to believe in evolution.
Modern geology has been formed by an interplay of catastrophism and uniformitarianism. James Hall the Neptunist was a good friend of James Hutton the Plutonist who first suggested uniformitarianism; Hutton helped convert Hall to Plutonism. Charles Lyell was a good friend of Charles Darwin; Darwin helped convert Lyell to believe in evolution.
See also in The book of science:
Readings on wikipedia: