Comparative Essay on Uniformitarianism and Catastrophism

Dennis Jacobson
L22609506

Professor Dr. Travis Bradshaw
PHSC 210

Submitted December 10, 2012

Introduction

The debate over Uniformitarianism and Catastrophism has been going on for decades. Uniformitariasm holds to the belief that certain processes that are happening today, have happened at the same rate in the past.(1) This has a profound impact on the dating of the Earth. Catastrophists on the other hand believe that there were processes in the past that occurred at rates scales, and intensities greater than possible today. The Catastrophists belief that there was a great worldwide flood in the days of Noah, which account for the fossil records as they are. Is the Earth in which we live a young earth or and old earth? Is it billions of years old or only thousands? It really depends on who you listen to, and what your worldview is!

Old Earth View
The Uniformitarianist belief that the physical, chemical, and biological laws that operate today have also operated in the geologic past (Lutgens 238). What this is implying is that the processes we currently observe have been at work for a very long time. A key phrase used is “The present is the key to the past”. One of the arguments that are used by those that adhere to this theory is that the processes that appear to be slow and weak over long periods of time can have the same effect as sudden catastrophic events. They also use the examples of the mountains, caverns, and other landscapes citing that erosion of these has taken a long time. Another well known example is the Grand Canyon; geologists look at the many layers of sediment and determine that the earth is old and not young.

They use the process known as the Law of Superposition in evaluating the age of rocks. This law simply stated is each bed is older that the one above it, and younger than the one below (Lutgens240)
Young Earth View
The Archbishop of Armagh, James Ussher published a work that had immediate and profound influence in the mid 1600’s. During this period catastrophism was strong. Catastrophism is the belief that Earths landscapes have been fashioned by great catastrophes, one in particular the great worldwide flood during the days of Noah. The flood could account for the fossil record, and for the strata that are presently found. This has a profound impact on a persons worldview, we are not just talking rocks, and bones, but in reality creationism, and evolution.
Compare and Contrast Uniformitarianism, and Castrophism are on opposite sides of the spectrum in many respects, and use the same evidence in another. Uniformitarianism tries to say the same processes that are happening today have happened before in the distant past, while Catastrophism says that the processes that happened in the not so long ago, were quick and the result of a catastrophe. I find it ironic that both sides use the same evidence to prove their point. They use the fossil record, and they use the layers of sediment found in rocks. Uniformitarianists look at the fossil record, and determine by the remains that long periods of time have elapsed. The Catastrophists on the other hand look at those same fossils and say that there was a worldwide flood that can account for the fossils to have occurred. Another point of contention between these two camps is the strata of rocks. Uniformitarianists think that the earth is old because of the many layers of the Grand Canyon. Catasrophists look at the same formation and say that it is the result of a massive flood. The power of the water was so intense, that it was able to carve mountains.
Conclusion
This may not seem like a big issue, but to the contrary it has grave implications. What really is at stake here is a person’s worldview. If a person holds to Uniforitarianism he is also likely to believe in the Theory of Evolution. If a person holds to the Catrostophic mindset he is likely to a believer in Creationism. (2) Is the earth young or old, again it will depend upon who you ask, and what your worldview is.