Is uniformitarianism necessary? 论文

摘要

Uniformitarianism is a dual concept postulating uniformity of rates of geologic change and time and space invariance of natural laws. The first is false and inhibits hypothesis formation, the second belongs to science as a whole and is not unique to geology. The first concept, titled substantive uniformitarianism, is incorrect and should be abandoned; the second, titled methodological uniformitarianism, is now superfluous and is best confined to the past history of geology.