Uniformitarianism

Uniformitarianism - "The Present is the Key to the Past"

Uniformitarianism is a geological doctrine. It states that current geologic processes, occurring at the same rates observed today, in the same manner, account for all of Earth's geological features. Thus, it assumes that geological processes are essentially unchanged today from those of the unobservable past, and that there have been no cataclysmic events in earth's history. As present processes are thought to explain all past events, the Uniformitarian slogan is, "the present is the key to the past."

Uniformitarianism - Glossary of Geology

Uniformitarianism is defined in the authoritative Glossary of Geology as "the fundamental principle or doctrine that geologic processes and natural laws now operating to modify the Earth's crust have acted in the same regular manner and with essentially the same intensity throughout geologic time, and that past geologic events can be explained by phenomena and forces observable today; the classical concept that 'the present is the key to the past'." (Robert Bates and Julia Jackson, Glossary of Geology, 2nd edition, American Geological Institute, 1980, pg. 677).

Uniformitarianism - James Hutton and Sir Charles Lyell

The doctrine of Uniformitarianism was significantly advanced by James Hutton (1726-1797) in his publication, Theory of the Earth (1785). Hutton influenced Sir Charles Lyell (1797-1875), who is acclaimed as the father of modern geology with his work, Principles of Geology (1830-1833, a three volume work). Lyell, in turn, influenced Charles Darwin, who later wrote The Origin of Species (1859). Lyell is responsible for the general acceptance of Uniformitarianism among geologists for the past 150 years. Uniformitarianism is fundamental to Lyell's geologic column.

adapted from https://www.allaboutcreation.org/Uniformitarianism.htm

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