Abstract: Uniformitarianism--Doctrine Which Needs Rethinking

Steven A. Austin

Charles Lyell's doctrine of uniformitarianism contains four concepts: (1) a methodologic principle asserting temporal continuity of the properties of matter and energy as described by scientific laws; (2) a causal principle requiring temporal continuity of the kinds of geologic processes; (3) an actional theory affirming temporal uniformity of rates of geologic processes; and (4) a configurational theory alleging temporal uniformity of geologic conditions. During the last 150 years, the term "uniformitarianism" has been defined in various ways by different geologists depending on which of Lyell's four concepts is accepted as true--hence the semantic confusion of as many as four concepts under the single term. Although the affirmation of the continuity of the properties of matter and energy in Lyell's methodologic principle is good scientific method, inclusion of it under the term "uniformitarianism" is superfluous because it already is asserted in the statement, "Geology is an inductive science." Lyell's causal principle is false if understood to require temporal continuity of all modern geologic processes, and only known modern processes; it becomes a warrant for analogic reasoning and simplicity if understood as a procedural statement, not limiting ancient processes, but only the geologist's accounting of those processes. Lyell's two theories affirming temporal uniformity of rates of processes and uniformity of geologic conditions have been refuted by geologic data, which, alone, must be used to understand ancient rates and conditions. The term "uniform tarianism," therefore, should be abandoned when describing formal assumptions used in modern geologic inquiry.

AAPG Search and Discovery Article #90961©1978 AAPG Annual Convention and Exhibition, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma