Definitions for catastrophism
catas·trophism

WiktionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. catastrophismnoun

   The doctrine that sudden catastrophes, rather than continuous change, cause the main features of the Earth's crust

WikipediaRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Catastrophism

   In geology, catastrophism theorises that the Earth has largely been shaped by sudden, short-lived, violent events, possibly worldwide in scope. This contrasts with uniformitarianism (sometimes called gradualism), according to which slow incremental changes, such as erosion, brought about all the Earth's geological features. The proponents of uniformitarianism held that the present was "the key to the past", and that all geological processes (such as erosion) throughout the past resembled those that can be observed today. Since the 19th-century disputes between catastrophists and uniformitarians, a more inclusive and integrated view of geologic events has developed, in which the scientific consensus accepts that some catastrophic events occurred in the geologic past, but regards these as explicable as extreme examples of natural processes which can occur. Proponents of catastrophism proposed that each geological epoch ended with violent and sudden natural catastrophes such as major floods and the rapid formation of major mountain chains. Plants and animals living in the parts of the world where such events occurred became extinct, to be replaced abruptly by the new forms whose fossils defined the geological strata. Some catastrophists attempted to relate at least one such change to the Biblical account of Noah's flood. The French scientist Georges Cuvier (1769–1832) popularised the concept of catastrophism in the early 19th century; he proposed that new life-forms had moved in from other areas after local floods, and avoided religious or metaphysical speculation in his scientific writings.

Webster DictionaryRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Catastrophismnoun

   the doctrine that the geological changes in the earth's crust have been caused by the sudden action of violent physical causes; -- opposed to the doctrine of uniformism

WikidataRate this definition:0.0 / 0 votes

1. Catastrophism

   Catastrophism is the theory that the Earth has been affected in the past by sudden, short-lived, violent events, possibly worldwide in scope. The dominant paradigm of modern geology is uniformitarianism, in which slow incremental changes, such as erosion, create the Earth's appearance. This view holds that the present is the key to the past, and that all things continue as they were from the beginning of the world. Recently a more inclusive and integrated view of geologic events has developed, changing the scientific consensus to accept some catastrophic events in the geologic past. This held that there have been violent and sudden natural catastrophes such as great floods and the rapid formation of major mountain chains. Plants and animals living in those parts of the world where such events occurred were often killed off, according to the 19th-century French scientist Georges Cuvier. Then new life forms moved in from other areas. As a result, the fossil record for a region shows abrupt changes in species. Cuvier's explanation relied solely on scientific evidence rather than biblical interpretation.

How to pronounce catastrophism?

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Numerology

1. Chaldean Numerology

   The numerical value of catastrophism in Chaldean Numerology is: 1

2. Pythagorean Numerology

   The numerical value of catastrophism in Pythagorean Numerology is: 9

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References

1. ^ Wiktionary
   https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Catastrophism
2. ^ Wikipedia
   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catastrophism
3. ^ Webster Dictionary
   https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catastrophism
4. ^ Wikidata
   https://www.wikidata.org/w/index.php?search=catastrophism