2 History of Geosciences

7/24/2019 2 History of Geosciences

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3. A BRIEF HISTORY3. A BRIEF HISTORY

OF GEOSCIENCESOF GEOSCIENCES

Pre- Geology Concepts onPre- Geology Concepts on

the Theory of the Earththe Theory of the Earth


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PERIODS of THOUGHTSPERIODS of THOUGHTS

Pre-Classic PeriodPre-Classic Period

Classic Period (Greeks)Classic Period (Greeks)

Arabic (Islamic) PeriodArabic (Islamic) Period Pre-Renaissance PeriodPre-Renaissance Period

Renaissance PeriodRenaissance Period

odern Periododern Period


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PRE-CLASSIC PERIODPRE-CLASSIC PERIOD

Generally related to primiti!e and religio"sGenerally related to primiti!e and religio"sbeliefs of the Early Greeks and #ind"s on thebeliefs of the Early Greeks and #ind"s on the$rigin and %e!elopment of the Earth$rigin and %e!elopment of the Earth

Related to ythology and &egendsRelated to ythology and &egends Early Catastrophism' related to h"manEarly Catastrophism' related to h"man

beha!ior on ethics and moralitybeha!ior on ethics and morality

The s"rface of the Earth is destroyed e!eryThe s"rface of the Earth is destroyed e!erytime the people became immoraltime the people became immoral


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THE CLASSIC PERIODTHE CLASSIC PERIOD

ased mainly on Philosophical Arg"mentationased mainly on Philosophical Arg"mentation

*at"ral Philosophy*at"ral Philosophy

AristotleAristotle vs.vs.%emocrit"s today+s lingering,long%emocrit"s today+s lingering,long

time contro!ersytime contro!ersy Theophrast"s ook of .tones/Theophrast"s ook of .tones/

Aristotle 0o"r elements of the EarthAristotle 0o"r elements of the Earth

Ptoleme"s The Earth as Center of the 1ni!ersePtoleme"s The Earth as Center of the 1ni!erse *at"ral $bser!ations by #erodot"s and Plini"s*at"ral $bser!ations by #erodot"s and Plini"s


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DEMOCRITUSDEMOCRITUSVSVSARISTOTLEARISTOTLE

AtomistAtomistvsvsAristoteliansAristotelians

Democrit!Democrit!There are no r"les in theThere are no r"les in theearth processes a random chaoticearth processes a random chaoticmo!ements of atoms2 R"les or &a3 ofmo!ements of atoms2 R"les or &a3 of

*at"re are in!ented by an*at"re are in!ented by an 0ollo3ers0ollo3ersare called Atomists2are called Atomists2

Ari!tot"eAri!tot"eThere are certain la3s ofThere are certain la3s of

nat"re (nat"re (SunatullahSunatullah)4 it is man5s d"ty to)4 it is man5s d"ty todisco!er the r"les or la3s of nat"redisco!er the r"les or la3s of nat"re 0ollo3ers are called Aristotelians20ollo3ers are called Aristotelians2


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LINGERING ARISTOTELIANSLINGERING ARISTOTELIANS VSVS

ATOMISTS CONTRO#ERSIESATOMISTS CONTRO#ERSIES

%"ring the modern history of geosciences "ntil%"ring the modern history of geosciences "ntil

today this contro!ersies ha!e persistedtoday this contro!ersies ha!e persisted

The contro!ersy mainly concerns ofThe contro!ersy mainly concerns of globalglobal

parallelismparallelismandand periodicityperiodicityofof e!entse!ents Present day thePresent day theAristoteliansAristoteliansappear to ha!e theappear to ha!e the

"pper hand"pper hand .e6"ence .tratigraphy.e6"ence .tratigraphy

#o3e!er' on the other hand#o3e!er' on the other hand atomistsatomistsha!e theirha!e theirideas inideas in "sing fractals"sing fractalsandand statistical methodsstatistical methods


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ARISTOTELES NATURALARISTOTELES NATURAL

PHILOSOPHYPHILOSOPHY 0o"r elements of earth processes0o"r elements of earth processes1.1. FireFire

2.2. EarthEarth

3.3. WaterWater4.4. WindWind

Endogenic and E7ogenic 0orcesEndogenic and E7ogenic 0orces

Recogni8edRecogni8ed


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T$e ForT$e For

E"eme%t!E"eme%t!

of t$eof t$e

E&rt$E&rt$''MuseumMuseum

GeologiGeologi

BandungBandung((


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THEOPHRASTUSTHEOPHRASTUSBOO) OFBOO) OF

STONESSTONESA classification of rocks and minerals isA classification of rocks and minerals isgi!engi!en

0ossils are incl"ded in the classification as0ossils are incl"ded in the classification as

stonesstones

0ossils are not recogni8ed of organic0ossils are not recogni8ed of organic

remains' b"t as imitation of nat"re byremains' b"t as imitation of nat"re by

plastic forces/plastic forces/


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Ptolomeo"sPtolomeo"sEarth as theEarth as the

Center of the 1ni!erseCenter of the 1ni!erse The Greeks already kne3The Greeks already kne3 the earth as a spherethe earth as a sphere''stars are considered fi7ed on 9 spheric shellsstars are considered fi7ed on 9 spheric shellsrotating at different speedrotating at different speed

Pto"eme! 'A"e*&%+ri&(Pto"eme! 'A"e*&%+ri&(established theestablished the earthearthas theas the centercenterof theof the "ni!ers"ni!ers((GeocentricGeocentric)) The radi"s of the Earth 3as meas"red "sing s"nThe radi"s of the Earth 3as meas"red "sing s"n

shado3s at noon at t3o different places2shado3s at noon at t3o different places2

Another Greek Philosopher pre-dated Ptoleme"sAnother Greek Philosopher pre-dated Ptoleme"sestablishing theestablishing the s"ns"nas the center of theas the center of the"ni!erse"ni!erseasas heliocentricheliocentric


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Arabic,Islamic PeriodArabic,Islamic Period

Arab "slims contin"ed the Greek5s *at"ralArab "slims contin"ed the Greek5s *at"ralPhilosophy' 3hile in E"rope the Greek 3ritings arePhilosophy' 3hile in E"rope the Greek 3ritings are

b"rned4b"rned4

Greek ooks 3ere translated into Arabic (mostGreek ooks 3ere translated into Arabic (mostfamo"s is the Almagest)famo"s is the Almagest)

Theory of organic e!ol"tion 3as already proposedTheory of organic e!ol"tion 3as already proposed

by Arab Philosophersby Arab Philosophers

A, Si%& 'Aice%%&(A, Si%& 'Aice%%&(contrib"ted most to the earthcontrib"ted most to the earth

sciencessciences


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A, Si%& 'Aice%%&(A, Si%& 'Aice%%&(

A, Si%& 'Aice%%&(A, Si%& 'Aice%%&( already "nderstoodalready "nderstood

erosion as a po3erf"l force reshaping the earth'erosion as a po3erf"l force reshaping the earth'

forming !alleys and mo"ntainsforming !alleys and mo"ntains

Proposed for the first time the theory ofProposed for the first time the theory oforogenesis or mo"ntain b"ildingorogenesis or mo"ntain b"ilding

A, Si%&A, Si%& recogni8ed therecogni8ed the differencedifference bet3eenbet3een

soilsoil

andand

bedrockbedrock

as 3ell as recogni8ingas 3ell as recogni8ing

fossilsfossils

asas organic remainsorganic remains' and' and interpreted marineinterpreted marine

transgressions in the pasttransgressions in the past


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PRE-RE**AI..A*CE PERI$%PRE-RE**AI..A*CE PERI$%

TheThe *at"ral Philosophy*at"ral Philosophy in the iddle Ages inin the iddle Ages inE"rope isE"rope is dominated by the Ch"rchdominated by the Ch"rch

isshop 1sherisshop 1sher famo"s age-dating of thefamo"s age-dating of theEarthEarth :;;< C' .eptember =' = o5clock am:;;< C' .eptember =' = o5clock am

.e!eral.e!eral theories based on biblical st"dies aretheories based on biblical st"dies arecalled .acred Theory of the Earth/called .acred Theory of the Earth/

$rigin of fossils 3ere contro!ersial' b"t later$rigin of fossils 3ere contro!ersial' b"t laterrecogni8ed asrecogni8ed as remainsremains from thefrom the flood of *oahflood of *oah(del"ge)(del"ge)

Present day Present day .cientific Creationism.cientific Creationism/ also/ alsobased on literal translation of the bible Pre-based on literal translation of the bible Pre-*oah and Post-*oah Geologic Period*oah and Post-*oah Geologic Period


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GEOLOGIC PRINCIPLESGEOLOGIC PRINCIPLESESTABLISHED PRE-RENNAISSANCEESTABLISHED PRE-RENNAISSANCE

CROSS-CUTTING PRINCIPLECROSS-CUTTING PRINCIPLE ((AgricolaAgricola' >9' >9ththCent"ry)Cent"ry)>2>2 ."perposition."perposition

:2:2 &ateral Contin"ity&ateral Contin"ity?2?2 $riginal #ori8ontality$riginal #ori8ontality


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STENO/S PRINCIPLES '0112(STENO/S PRINCIPLES '0112(

Sero!itio% of Str&t&Sero!itio% of Str&t&

Ori4i%&" L&ter&" Co%ti%it5 ofOri4i%&" L&ter&" Co%ti%it5 of

Str&t&Str&t&Ori4i%&" Hori6o%t&"it5 of Str&t&Ori4i%&" Hori6o%t&"it5 of Str&t&

Co""or&r5Co""or&r5 #ertic&" Accm"&tio% of#ertic&" Accm"&tio% of

Str&t&Str&t&


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00LA7 OF SUPERPOSITIONLA7 OF SUPERPOSITION'STENO8 0112('STENO8 0112(

Modified statement:

Law of Superposition:

The youngest strata are at top in an

undisturbed sequence (Anthony,

1955, p. !


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99

HORI:ONTAL LATERALHORI:ONTAL LATERALCONTINUITYCONTINUITY

'Ste%o8 0112('Ste%o8 0112(

Modified statement:

Law of "rigina# $ontinuity:

The origina# continuity of water%#aid sedi&entary

strata is ter&inated on#y by pinching out againstthe basin of deposition, at the ti&e of their

deposition.

(Anthony, #oc.op.cit, p.!'


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ORIGINAL HORI:ONTALITYORIGINAL HORI:ONTALITY'STENO8 0112('STENO8 0112(

Statement of Principle: ipping beds were oncehori)onta# (*oodford, 19!5, p.!'

Modified Statement: Law of hori)onta#ity:

Sedi&entary strata are #aid down near#y

hori)onta##y and essentia##y para##e# to thesurface upon which they accu&u#ate. (Anthony,

#oc op cit., p.!'


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RENNAISSANCE PERIODRENNAISSANCE PERIOD

R&tio%&"i!mR&tio%&"i!m o"ffon5s Theory of Cosmogenyo"ffon5s Theory of Cosmogeny @erner5s Geognosy %octrine of Geological@erner5s Geognosy %octrine of Geological

."ccession."ccession

Emirici!mEmirici!m(0rancis acon' *e3ton)(0rancis acon' *e3ton) #"tton5s Theory of the Earth#"tton5s Theory of the Earth

1niformintarianism1niformintarianism

%escartes ineral5s ap%escartes ineral5s ap .trachey and @2.mith 0ossil Identification of.trachey and @2.mith 0ossil Identification of

.trata.trata

.o"la!ie Principle of 0a"nal ."ccession.o"la!ie Principle of 0a"nal ."ccession

e!ol"tione!ol"tion


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EMPIRICISM #S RATIONALISMEMPIRICISM #S RATIONALISM

R&tio%&"i!mR&tio%&"i!m basedbased i%titio% ori%titio% or

r&tio%&"i6&tio% of reio! t$eorie!r&tio%&"i6&tio% of reio! t$eorie! '' usingusing

deduction to explain a natural phenomenondeduction to explain a natural phenomenon Emirici!mEmirici!m basedbased e%tire"5 o%e%tire"5 o%

o,!er&tio%! of %&tr&" $e%ome%& oro,!er&tio%! of %&tr&" $e%ome%& or

"&,or&tor5 e*erime%t!"&,or&tor5 e*erime%t!

andand

an explanationan explanation

is induced solely from observationis induced solely from observation


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Scie%ti!t!Scie%ti!t! vsvsSc$o"&r!Sc$o"&r!

Scie%ti!t!Scie%ti!t!"se"se observation dataobservation data(!is"al or(!is"al or

instr"mental) toinstr"mental) to form"&te t$eorie!8 %&tr&"form"&te t$eorie!8 %&tr&"

"&;!8 r"e!8 form"&! etc"&;!8 r"e!8 form"&! etc2' called the2' called the scientificscientific

methodmethod2 *at"ral .cience is called2 *at"ral .cience is called !cie%ce!cie%ce Sc$o"&r!Sc$o"&r!"se"se textual data or written recordstextual data or written records44

s"ch as inscriptions' scripts' dairies' books's"ch as inscriptions' scripts' dairies' books' toto

4ie & '%e;( e*"&%&tio%4ie & '%e;( e*"&%&tio%' called' called scholarlyscholarly

methodmethods"ch as in history' religions' la3s' ands"ch as in history' religions' la3s' and

to some e7tent also the so-calledto some e7tent also the so-called !oci&"!oci&"

!cie%ce!!cie%ce!


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BUFFON/S COSMOGENYBUFFON/S COSMOGENY

Bffo%Bffo%proposed the origin of the earth and theproposed the origin of the earth and theplanets from a portion of the s"n p"lled by aplanets from a portion of the s"n p"lled by apassing star to form the solar systempassing star to form the solar system

The earth history consists ofThe earth history consists of 9 periods each9 periods eachperiod represents a partic"lar process'period represents a partic"lar process' The earth is =;2;;; yrs old' and another ?;2;;;The earth is =;2;;; yrs old' and another ?;2;;;

yrs "ntil it is ice-coldyrs "ntil it is ice-cold

"ffon already en!isioned the separation of"ffon already en!isioned the separation ofE"ropeE"rope


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7er%er/! Geo4%o!57er%er/! Geo4%o!5

%octrine of Geological ."ccession%octrine of Geological ."ccession

Earth processesEarth processes areare "ni!ersal"ni!ersal andandsynchrono"ssynchrono"s22

All rocksAll rocks are formed asare formed as a sedimentarya sedimentary

process4 incl"ding granites' gneisses andprocess4 incl"ding granites' gneisses andbasalts2basalts2

All strata are in its original positionAll strata are in its original position thethe

oldest rock 3ere deposited on highestoldest rock 3ere deposited on highestocean bottom2ocean bottom2


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STRATA IDENTIFIED BY FOSSILSSTRATA IDENTIFIED BY FOSSILS

'SMITH8 0


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LA7 OF FAUNAL SUCCESSIONLA7 OF FAUNAL SUCCESSION

'ABBE GIRAUD-SOULA#IE8 0===('ABBE GIRAUD-SOULA#IE8 0===(

Statement of principle:

ossi# differs according to their geo#ogic ages

(stratigraphic position' fossi#s in #ower for&ationsare un#i-e those in higher beds. ossi# f#oras and

faunas succeed one another in a definite and

deter&inab#e order (Anthony, 1955, p.9'


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UNIFORMITARIANISM 'HUTTON8UNIFORMITARIANISM'HUTTON8

0=0=((Statement of principle: A&id a## the re2o#utions ofthe g#obe, the econo&y of nature has been

unifor& ... and her #aws are the on#y things that

ha2e resisted the genera# &o2e&ent. The ri2ers and

the roc-s, the seas and the continents ha2e been

changed in a## their parts but the #aws which direct

these changes, and the ru#es to which they are

sub3ect, ha2e re&ained in2ariab#y the sa&e.

(4#ayfair, ##ustrations of 6uttonian Theory of the7arth, 1/8, p.81, quoted by *oodford, op.cit.,

p.+'.

Modified Statement: The present is the -ey

to the past.


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THE GREAT CONTRO#ERSY AT THE BIRTH OFTHE GREAT CONTRO#ERSY AT THE BIRTH OF

MODERN GEOLOGYMODERN GEOLOGY

GEOLOGICAL CYCLES #SGEOLOGICAL CYCLES #SGEOLOGICAL SUCCESSIONGEOLOGICAL SUCCESSION

ames #"ttonames #"ttonproposedproposed cycliccyclicgeologicalgeological

processes' based on "nconformitiesprocesses' based on "nconformitiespresent day processes 3ere repeated inpresent day processes 3ere repeated in

the pastthe past

@erner@ernerGeologic history consists aGeologic history consists as"ccessions"ccessionof geological processes'of geological processes'based on mineralogybased on mineralogy

GEOLOGICAL CYCLES #SGEOLOGICAL CYCLES #SGEOLOGICAL SUCCESSIONGEOLOGICAL SUCCESSION

ames #"ttonames #"ttonproposedproposed cycliccyclicgeologicalgeological

processes' based on "nconformitiesprocesses' based on "nconformitiespresent day processes 3ere repeated inpresent day processes 3ere repeated in

the pastthe past

@erner@ernerGeologic history consists aGeologic history consists as"ccessions"ccessionof geological processes'of geological processes'based on mineralogybased on mineralogy


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The Great Contro!ersyThe Great Contro!ersyAT THE BIRTH OF MODERN GEOLOGYAT THE BIRTH OF MODERN GEOLOGY

";


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The Great Contro!ersyThe Great Contro!ersy

In odern GeologyIn odern Geology

>2>2 GeosynclineGeosyncline vs.vs. Continental %riftContinental %rift

((

birthbirth of Plate Tectonics)of Plate Tectonics)

:2 &ithostratigraphy:2 &ithostratigraphy vs.vs. ChronostratigraphyChronostratigraphy

(( birth of .e6"ence .tratigraphy) birth of .e6"ence .tratigraphy)

@ 5 % i f G l i@ 5 % t i f G l i


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@erner5s %octrine of Geologic@erner5s %octrine of Geologic

."ccessions."ccessions

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2 History of Geosciences