Uniformitarianism: Difference between revisions

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'''Uniformitarianism''', also known as the '''Doctrine of Uniformity''' or the '''Uniformitarian Principle''',<ref>Scott|first=G. H.|date=1963|title=Uniformitarianism, the uniformity of [[nature]], and paleoecology |journal=New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics|volume=6|issue=4|pages=510โ€“527 |doi=10.1080/00288306.1963.10420063|issn=0028-8306|doi-access=free</ref> is the assumption that the same natural laws and processes that operate in our present-day scientific observations have always operated in the universe in the past and apply everywhere in the universe.<ref>{{harvnb|Gordon|2013|p=79}}</ref><ref name=gould1965>{{harvnb|Gould|1965|pp=223โ€“228}}, "''The assumption of spatial and temporal invariance of natural laws is by no means unique to geology since it amounts to a warrant for inductive inference'' which, as Bacon showed nearly four hundred years ago, is ''the basic mode of reasoning in empirical Science [[Category:Science]]. Without assuming this spatial and temporal invariance, we have no basis for extrapolating from the known to the unknown'' and, therefore, no way of reaching general conclusions from a finite number of observations."</ref> It refers to invariance in the Metaphysics|metaphysical]] principles underpinning Science [[Category:Science]], such as the constancy of cause and effect throughout space-time,<ref>{{harvnb|Gordon|2013|p=82}}; "The uniformitarian principle assumes that ''the behavior of [[nature]] is regular and indicative of an objective causal structure in which presently operative causes may be projected into the past'' to explain the historical development of the physical world and projected into the future for the purposes of prediction and control. In short, it involves the process of inferring past causes from presently observable effects under the assumption that ''the fundamental causal regularities of the world have not changed over time''."</ref> but has also been used to describe spatiotemporal invariance of physical laws.<ref>Strahler, A.N. 1987. Science and Earth History- The Evolution/Creation Controversy, Prometheus Books, Amherst, New York, USA. p. 194: โ€œUnder the updated statement of a useful principle of uniformitarianism it boils down essentially to ''affirmation of the validity of universal scientific laws through time and space'', coupled with a rejection of supernatural causes.โ€ p. 62: โ€œIn cosmology, the study of the structure and evolution of the universe, ''it is assumed that the laws of physics are similar throughout the entire universe''.โ€</ref> Though a completely unprovable postulate that cannot be verified using the scientific method,<ref>Rosenberg, Alex. Philosophy of Science [[Category:Science]]: A contemporary introduction, 4th ed. Routledge, 2019, 173</ref> some consider that uniformitarianism should be a required [[First principle|first principle]] in scientific research.<ref name=simpson1963>{{harvnb|Simpson|1963|pp=24โ€“48}}, "''Uniformity is an unprovable postulate'' justified, or indeed required, on two grounds. First, nothing in our incomplete but extensive knowledge of history disagrees with it. Second, ''only with this postulate is a rational interpretation of history possible'', and we are justified in seeking...as scientists we must seek...such a rational interpretation."</ref> Other scientists disagree and consider that [[nature]] is not absolutely uniform, even though it does exhibit certain regularities.<ref name=Buffon>{{cite book |author1=Buffon, G. L. L. |year=1778 |title=Histoire [[nature]]lle, gรฉnรฉrale et particuliรจre, contenant les epoques de la [[nature]] |pages=3โ€“4 |url=https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=gm2IOlUb_SMC&rdid=book-gm2IOlUb_SMC&rdot=1 |publisher= L'Imprimerie Royale |location=Paris |access-date=6 July 2019 }}</ref>
'''Uniformitarianism''', also known as the '''Doctrine of Uniformity''' or the '''Uniformitarian Principle''',<ref>Scott|first=G. H.|date=1963|title=Uniformitarianism, the uniformity of [[nature]], and paleoecology |journal=New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics|volume=6|issue=4|pages=510โ€“527 |doi=10.1080/00288306.1963.10420063|issn=0028-8306|doi-access=free</ref> is the assumption that the same natural laws and processes that operate in our present-day scientific observations have always operated in the universe in the past and apply everywhere in the universe.<ref>{{harvnb|Gordon|2013|p=79}}</ref><ref name=gould1965>{{harvnb|Gould|1965|pp=223โ€“228}}, "''The assumption of spatial and temporal invariance of natural laws is by no means unique to geology since it amounts to a warrant for inductive inference'' which, as Bacon showed nearly four hundred years ago, is ''the basic mode of reasoning in empirical Scienceย  principles underpinning Science : A contemporary introduction, 4th ed. Routledge, 2019, 173</ref> some consider that uniformitarianism should be a required [[First principle|first principle]] in scientific research.<ref name=simpson1963>{{harvnb|Simpson|1963|pp=24โ€“48}}, "''Uniformity is an unprovable postulate'' justified, or indeed required, on two grounds. First, nothing in our incomplete but extensive knowledge of history disagrees with it. Second, ''only with this postulate is a rational interpretation of history possible'', and we are justified in seeking...as scientists we must seek...such a rational interpretation."</ref> Other scientists disagree and consider that [[nature]] is not absolutely uniform, even though it does exhibit certain regularities.<ref name=Buffon>{{cite book |author1=Buffon, G. L. L. |year=1778 |title=Histoire [[nature]]lle, gรฉnรฉrale et particuliรจre, contenant les epoques de la [[nature]] |pages=3โ€“4 |url=https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=gm2IOlUb_SMC&rdid=book-gm2IOlUb_SMC&rdot=1 |publisher= L'Imprimerie Royale |location=Paris |access-date=6 July 2019 }}</ref>


==Origins==
==Origins==

Latest revision as of 17:40, 21 February 2024

Uniformitarianism, also known as the Doctrine of Uniformity or the Uniformitarian Principle,[1] is the assumption that the same natural laws and processes that operate in our present-day scientific observations have always operated in the universe in the past and apply everywhere in the universe.[2][3] some consider that uniformitarianism should be a required first principle in scientific research.[4] Other scientists disagree and consider that nature is not absolutely uniform, even though it does exhibit certain regularities.[5]

Origins

In geology, uniformitarianism has included the gradualistic concept that "the present is the key to the past" and that geological events occur at the same rate now as they have always done, though many modern geologists no longer hold to a strict gradualism.[6] Coined by William Whewell, it was originally proposed in contrast to catastrophism, [7] by British naturalists in the late 18th century, starting with the work of the geologist James Hutton in his many books including Theory of the Earth.[8] Hutton's work was later refined by scientist John Playfair and popularised by geologist Charles Lyell's Principles of Geology in 1830.[9] Today, Earth's history is considered to have been a slow, gradual process, punctuated by occasional natural catastrophic events.


References

  1. โ†‘ Scott|first=G. H.|date=1963|title=Uniformitarianism, the uniformity of nature, and paleoecology |journal=New Zealand Journal of Geology and Geophysics|volume=6|issue=4|pages=510โ€“527 |doi=10.1080/00288306.1963.10420063|issn=0028-8306|doi-access=free
  2. โ†‘ Gordon 2013, p. 79
  3. โ†‘ Gould 1965, pp. 223โ€“228, "The assumption of spatial and temporal invariance of natural laws is by no means unique to geology since it amounts to a warrant for inductive inference which, as Bacon showed nearly four hundred years ago, is the basic mode of reasoning in empirical Science principles underpinning Science : A contemporary introduction, 4th ed. Routledge, 2019, 173
  4. โ†‘ Simpson 1963, pp. 24โ€“48, "Uniformity is an unprovable postulate justified, or indeed required, on two grounds. First, nothing in our incomplete but extensive knowledge of history disagrees with it. Second, only with this postulate is a rational interpretation of history possible, and we are justified in seeking...as scientists we must seek...such a rational interpretation."
  5. โ†‘ Histoire naturelle, gรฉnรฉrale et particuliรจre, contenant les epoques de la nature pp. 3โ€“4. Paris: L'Imprimerie Royale (1778).
  6. โ†‘ FARIA, Felipe. Actualismo,Catastrofismo y Uniformitarismo. In: Pรฉrez, Marรญa Luisa Bacarlett & Caponi, Gustavo. Pensar la vida: Filosofรญa, naturaleza y evoluciรณn. Toluca: Universidad Autรณnoma del Estado de Mรฉxico, p. 55-80, 2015.[1]
  7. โ†‘ Pidwirny & Jones 1999, "the idea that Earth was shaped by a series of sudden, short-lived, violent events."
  8. โ†‘ James, Hutton (1785). Theory of the Earth CreateSpace Independent Publishing.
  9. โ†‘ Uniformitarianism: World of Earth Science.
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