catastrophism

/kuh-tas-truh-fiz-uhm/US // kəˈtæs trəˌfɪz əm //UK // (kəˈtæstrəˌfɪzəm) //

灾变论,灾难论,灾变主义,灾害论

Definitions

n.名词 noun

1
Geology.
- : the doctrine that certain vast geological changes in the earth's history were caused by catastrophes rather than gradual evolutionary processes.

But to deny catastrophism was to suggest a revolution in current thought.
For the idea of catastrophism had not concerned the destruction of species merely, but their introduction as well.
This view is a complete reconciliation of catastrophism and uniformitarianism, and is far more rational than either extreme.
This principle of ‘uniformity’ knocked the old teaching of catastrophism on the head.
To my mind there appears to be no sort of necessary theoretical antagonism between Catastrophism and Uniformitarianism.