Geology Reference
In-Depth Information
form before he had ever seen an unconformity, and when he had observed
granite in only one inconclusive outcrop.
We might still support a weaker version of the empiricist myth if Hutton
himself had espoused the mystique of fieldwork, and had attempted later to
hide the a priori character of his theory by fudging the derivative character of
his crucial observations. At least the ideal would remain intact.
Even this version fails before Hutton's own candor. He presents his theory—
with pride—as derived by reason from key premises that have no standing in
modern science (see next section). He then discusses his observations as
subsequent confirmations of these ideas. His statement about granite could
not be clearer or more concise: "I just saw it, and no more, at Petershead and
Aberdeen, but that was all the granite I had ever seen when I wrote my
Theory of the Earth [1788 version]. I have, since that time, seen it in different
places; because I went on purpose to examine it" (1795, I, 214). As for
unconformities, Hutton proclaims their derivative status in the chapter title
for their discussion: "The theory confirmed from observations made on
purpose to elucidate the subject" (1795, I, 453).
In fact, Hutton's work suffered gravely in reputation when a strong empiricist
tradition did arise within geology early in the nineteenth century. Hutton's
near contemporaries ranked him among the antiquated system-builders of a
speculative age. Cuvier granted Hutton but a paragraph in his preliminary
discourse of 1812, listing him second among six recent system-builders.
Cuvier presented these six men as superior to purely speculative predecessors
in their devotion to natural causes, but still in the armchair tradition, and
mutually incompatible because such an inadequate methodology cannot
attain consensus. 2
2. Cuvier's crisp epitome of Hutton's cyclic world machine is worth repeating: "Les
matériaux des montagnes sont sans cesse dégradés et entrainés par les rivières, pour
aller au fond des mers se faire échauffer sous une énorme pression, et former des
couches que la chaleur qui les durcit relevera un jour avec violence."
Search WWH ::




Custom Search