Uniformitarianism vs. Catastrophism free essay sample

Uniformitarianism vs. Catastrophism| Lara Anderson| | Dr. Travis Bradshaw| PHSC 201-A19| For much of history, humans have grappled with the question: Where do we come from? Today there are two main houses of argument which have many different names. They are called secular and religious, evolutionists and creationists, humanists and theists. However, each house subscribes to its own idea of how the world has come about and progressed through history. The secular/evolutionist/humanist view point is that the earth happened through chance and time over billions of years of processes repeating themselves in the same way they do today, a view known as uniformitarianism. While the religious/creationist/theists claim that the world was created in the not so distant past, by an intelligent being and that the world has progressed from there and that the alterations we see today have not come about by process over billions of years, but through catastrophic events in history. We will write a custom essay sample on Uniformitarianism vs. Catastrophism or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page This view is called catastrophism. Science cannot clearly tell which belief is correct however through a study of each, a person can come away with a sense of what they believe and why. Uniformitarianism In the 1790s a man named James Hutton published his work Theory of the Earth. In this work he described the idea of uniformity by saying that the same chemical, physical, and biological laws and processes that are happening today have also happened in the geological past. This was the first theory of merit for the old-Earth geologist of the day. He was directly influential to a man named Charles Lyell, who was inspired by Hutton’s book and went on explorations around Europe seeking evidence for the theory that over long periods of time, these weak geologic forces we see today could produce great effects, such as mountain ranges and vast valleys. It was Lyell who gave us the idea that these processes have not changed over time and also he who proposed that the evidences for a great Biblical flood could really be explained through long periods of geologic process. Interestingly, it was Lyell who inspired Charles Darwin to describe evolution. This was merely the adaption of Lyell’s theory of uniformitarianism to fit the living things on the planet. () Catastrophism There is no doubt that certain catastrophes have happened on Earth over its lifespan. Most scientists today who do not agree with Catastrophism as a theory agree that certain events have happened, such as asteroid collisions with Earth. We still see catastrophes occurring today in the form of tsunamis, volcanic eruptions, and earthquakes. However, the theory of catastrophism is that there have been massive catastrophes (one in particular) that have shaped the earth as we know and understand it to be today. ) Catastrophists who are also Biblical Christians believe that the great flood of Noah is the main catastrophic event that affected everything from the layering of the fossils to the salinity of the ocean. Because the major base for catastrophism is creationism, since the time of Darwin, at least, most scientists have completely disregarded this theory as a possible explanation for the geological makeup of the earth. However, the theory has been gaining ground on the bases of new research and the questioning of long held scientific beliefs. Differences and Similarities Though the theories of Uniformitarianism and Catastrophism do not seem compatible in the least, there are a few similarities to be found. As stated earlier, the subscribers of uniformitarianism also believe that certain events have occurred in the past but these are described as normal events that would not completely rewrite the geological timeline. Even the asteroid that they believe to have caused an ice age can be considered normal. () And most geologists today agree too that there have been change in the process we observe today. Specifically that plate tectonics as we understand it today were far different in the first one or two million years of Earth’s lifespan, as accepted by such scientists. Catastrophism as well agrees in part with uniformitarianism in that there are specific process that are ongoing today and were ongoing in the 6,000-10,000 year lifespan that is accepted by most such scientists. The differences between the two theories are numerous. For uniformitarianism to be considered an old-Earth theory must be accepted while most people who are believers of catastrophism subscribe to the young-Earth theory. Uniformitarians typically believe that human life has come about through billions of years of evolution while Catastrophists generally accept that man was created by an intelligent lawmaker or lawmakers. Conclusion Only time will tell which theory will hold precident in the future. We can, for now, understand that the theories described are severely different and yet stills similar. There is a truth to be found, but it is impossible to tell what happened in the past, be it a billion years ago or a few thousand, without faith. For those who think that the theory of uniformitarianism is correct, there is faith in process. We cannot know that billions of years ago the processes were even occurring, much less at the same rate that they are today. For people who believe in the theory of catastrophism, faith is in the intelligent being and that certain events happened. No matter which theory we subscribe to, it is important to understand what you believe and why you believe it, or your faith is weak and your mind also. Citation Schmidt, V. (2005). Catastrophism. Offshore, 65(2), 25. doi: 227323362. http://p2048-www. liberty. edu. ezproxy. liberty. edu:2048/login? url=http://search. roquest. com. ezproxy. liberty. edu:2048/docview/227323362? accountid=12085 â€Å"Uniformitarianism: Charles Lyell†. Understanding Evolution. University of California Museum of Paleontology. 29 April, 2013. http://evolution. berkeley. edu/evolibrary/article/history_12 (2000). Geologic time online edition. (1. 2 ed. ). Denver, CO: USGS General Interest Publications. Retrieved from http://www. indiana. edu/~geol105b/1425ch ap6. htm Lutgens, F. , amp; Tarbuck, E. (2011). Foundations of earth science. (6 ed. , pp. 239). Upper Saddle River, NJ: Pearson Prentice Hall.